Unchained
by FallenFerne
Summary: For thirty years, Seras has been thinking of her Master, loyally awaiting his return to Hellsing. She spoke to him when nobody believed him to come. She dealt with the pain and loneliness of being the only Nosferatu in the Hellsing orginization. But what does he have in store for her when he returns? AXS and multiple AU plots.
1. The Vampire's Slumber

_**Unchained**_

 _ **Ferne's Thoughts:**_ Hey guys! So, this is my first fic written for this site (or ever), and will probably be rather long. I'll try to update every Friday until completion. Well, without any further ado, here's _**Unchained**_! *crowd cheers and throws flowers my way* Thank you, thank you all!

*** _I, in no way- shape, taste, or form- own Hellsing, the Hellsing universe, or Alucard (sadly). Hellsing doesn't belong to me, but if I could, I would adopt it. ***_

* * *

Floating, just barely beneath the surface. Seras couldn't tell what she was submerged in, but she wagered it was either clouds or whipped cream. Her eyes were closed, and try as she might, she just couldn't open them. Vampiric strength or not, all she saw was…. Black. The fluff she was submerged in coiled around every inch, every curve of her petite frame, as if the air was memory foam. Suddenly, a figure came into view. It was a man, Seras concluded after several seconds of peering at the figure. As he walked, the black seemed to disappear and fade to a blinding white. This white starkly contrasted with the dark figure coming towards her. Seras felt as though she should be scared, frightened of the figure coming towards her, but all she felt was contentment and… an odd fluttering in her stomach. The man was tall, Seras concluded as he came closer. He had one hand in his trouser pocket, while the other was outstretched in a way she couldn't quite decipher from the distance. Although her Nosferatu eyes could see kilometers away normally, she was having difficulty focusing on the staggering figure in front of her. She could, however, now partially see the man's face. It was draped in long black hair, mystery covering his features. Over his broad shoulders, his hair hung limply, tendrils swaying with each step. He seemed huge, but oddly enough, Seras couldn't hear any footsteps coming from his form. She closed her eyes, only for a second, and suddenly, the giant man was looming above her. Seras craned her neck up to look into his face. _Who is he?_

She instantly recognized the fiery eyes.

"Master?"


	2. Late

**Ferne's Thoughts:** Hey! So today I decided on doing a huge chapter binge post session. I have my vanilla chai tea steeping next to me, season 3 of Wentworth playing on my Netflix, my messy hieroglyphic-esque notes next to me, and my playlist is ready, so so am I! Since I'm really new to writing for this site, and anything related to it in general, any and all critique, tips, and reviews are appreciated!

*** _I do not own Hellsing, or the Hellsing Universe, but if I did, Seras and Alucard would've had episodes upon episodes of steamy angsty love fests. ***_

Seras awoke with a start, her face pressed against the soft down of her pillow. She felt wet, and at first she thought she'd been sweating in her sleep. She lifted her face from it, only to see it's once pure white color stained crimson. Both old, dry blood and fresh became her once pristine bedding. Seras had been crying in her sleep again, it seemed.

 _Why?_ She tried to recollect the dreams she'd just awoken from, vision locked on the stains as everything came to her just as vividly as her red tears on her sheets.

She'd been dreaming of her Master again. _Funny,_ she thought, _I only knew him for a year of my un-life, and yet I remember him so clearly. Even after all this time…_

 _Frightening, maniacal, insane, cruel, evil, monstrous, demonic…_ Seras replayed the words most often used to describe her Master in her mind, then supplemented in her own words for the creature. _Loyal, caring, withdrawn, afraid. Dare I say handsome?_ Suddenly, she got up.

She walked over to her vanity ( the varnished chestnut masterpiece a gift from Sir Integra for Seras' 31st birthday) and sat down to peer at her image. Her snow white vampiric complexion now sullied with both dried and wet blood-tears, mimicking her sheets. Though she could easily clean everything with her shadows, she decided against such an action in favor of a more human one. She stood from her seat and walked to her bathroom.

What was once a small closet with nothing but a toilet in it, now a room big enough for a large shower, sink, and a toilet- the latter having been out of use for the past decade. Turning the crystal faucet to the sink, she splashed her face with the chilly night time water. Scrubbing her face until she was sure all the blood was gone, she wiped herself off with the fluffy- if not worn out- towel she kept on the floor. She did these things nearly robotically, used to the ritual. Every night, Seras would awaken, pulled from a dream of her Master. Nearly every time this happened, she awoke in a pool of her bloody tears, feeling defeated and alone until she went up to tend to Sir Integra and any deeds the Heiress had for her. This had been happening on and off for the past ten years.

Lifting her face up to stare into the large mirror hooked onto the wall, she smiled at the creamy vanilla toned flesh and then at the familiar face of the man standing behind her.

"Hello Pip," she sang cheerily to her Familiar, spinning to face him.

"Ma cher, you were dreaming of… Him again?" The curiosity was almost devoid in the Frenchman's question, making it sound more like an off-hand statement. Walking past him and towards her closet, Seras felt the embarrassed blush creep up her cheeks.

"I can't bloody well control my dreams, now can I?" She felt as though she needed to defend herself, for some reason, even though Pip never judged her. Pip started to protest her comment with something that sounded vaguely like 'There's no telling what a monster can do,' but Seras kept talking. "He's always on my mind, even if he may not be connected to it… I," she paused, "- I just can't help it." She stopped moving all together with that last statement, hands on the knob to her closet door.

There was a silence, spanning no more than ten seconds, yet feeling like decades to the pair. " You love him, Seras," Pip stated off-handily.

"Yes, I do. I always have, from the moment I heard his voice. I can't help it." Her voice was mixed with false joy and melancholy.

The pair had had this same conversation countless times along the many years following her Master's disappearance. Pip was her closest friend- he lived on inside of her, how much closer could two get? He knew what she felt for her Master. And he knew of her loneliness, and the agony she felt during his absence. It stung to know he could never fill the place in his love's heart, but he vowed to help her in any way he could. And though Seras had unwaivering faith in her Master's return, he, however, did not. He'd given hope on the brute after the first decade, along with the rest of Hellsing.

Seras looked postitively sullen until Pip looked at the electric clock she had on her table (the same small table she had when she had arrived at the Manor was now pushed against a wall next to her bed) and jumped in shock.

"Mon Dieu!" he exclaimed, "You'll be late, Cheri! Hurry, hurry!" Seras stared at him, pulled out of her thoughts. Not comprehending her Familiar's worry, Seras stood in place, a confused look on her face. "Sir Integra, you idiot!" he called as he phased out of sight. With his departure, Seras looked to the clock and noticed the time. Her eyes opened wide in shock.

 _10:48… 10:48…10:48…10:49!_ Seras turned, and with all her vampiric speed, she changed into her uniform with a ferocity she wasn't quite used to. By the time she was fully clothed, her left sleeve had torn in half. She looked back at the clock. _Still 10:49._ She sighed in relief. Sure, she was late, but Sir hadn't called for her yet tonight. _The old woman must be alright then._ She grabbed her gun (her anti-cannon had long since been retired, and now she used a smaller magnum pistol, reminiscent of her Sire) and stopped by her vanity again and checked herself. She pinched her cheeks, ran her fingers through her messy hair to calm it down a bit, slid some lip balm on her pale lips, and added some mascara as a finishing touch. _I'll never get used to these eyes, will I?_ The red still unsettled her a bit. Satisfied with her appearance, she straightened one of her stockings with her shadows, and turned towards the door. She was ready for patrol.


	3. The Death of Me

**Ferne's Thoughts:** This chapter might be a bit on the short side, but don't worry too much! I plan on making this story fairly long. I've been writing for about two hours now, and my butt is starting to get numb. Don't fret though, it probably won't fall off. Probably.

*** _I don't own Hellsing, Alucard, Seras, Teggie, or Seras' adorable smile, but I do own Vincent, Karlee, and Teresa. If I did own Hellsing, I would gladly give up my OC's if only I could command Alucard to call me "darling". ***_

* * *

As she walked the winding halls of the Manor, Seras couldn't help but smile at any personel that passed. Of course, they smiled back at the Nosferatu, if not partly out of fear of the petite creature and her shadows. Despite her rude awakening minutes earlier, Seras felt much better and back to her chipper self. She pushed the thoughts of her Master to the back of her mind, as always, and walked on.

Within no time, Seras had reached the main stairway of the Manor. She stopped for a moment to admire the glistening crystal chandelier hanging above the foyer. _They really did a great job with the restorations and new additions, didn't they?_ Turning back around, she carrassed the burgundy wallpaper and placed on hand on the mohogony stair railing. Turning her gaze to her feet, within a few steps she heard something fall near her. Vampiric reflexes aided in her battle-ready stance as she looked around for the noise. It took only a second to realize that the object that fell was a book two steps away from her. Going over to inspect it, she noticed that the book in question seemed to be rather old and worn. Bending to pick it up, she barely glanced at the innards of it to noticed that it was in some other language. _How odd._ A voice called out from the top of the winding staircase.

"Where did that bloody book go now?" Instantly recognizing the agitated voice, Seras brightened and phased behind the man with the tower of literature cradled in his arms. Being much taller than she, Seras couldn't see over his head, but she wagered that the tower was at least four books high. The man looked through his pile for the book in Seras' shadow-hand. Suddenly, she had an idea.

"Looking for this, Vincent?" A deep, raspy voice whispered in the man's ear, causing him to drop the rest of the books, and nearly wet himself in shock. He cried out and immediately turned toward the offending voice.

"Miss Victoria!" humor replaced the fear etched in his features as he stepped down to gather the rest of the material he had dropped, in addition to the book being held out to him by the undead agent. His hazel eyes widened as she nearly fell to the ground giggling. "Miss Victoria, I assure you, your little prank was not as funny as you seem to think." He surpressed a giggle himself while watching the feared Nosferatu tearing up from a simple prank.

"I'm sorry Vincent, but," she broke down laughing, "but… I could smell the fear and oh my god, that was bloody good!"

"Seras, you have got to find some other way to amuse yourself than frightening the staff. I swear, you're such a child." The young man grinned at her and leaned down to where she was sitting on a step. He sat next to her, placing his books in a pile next to the pair. "You know," he turned to look her in the eyes after she calmed down, "you look good tonight." Upon seeing her blush a bit, Vincent decided to play a joke of his own on the Draculina. "If not a bit decayed." Seras immediately screamed and huffed away leaving a writhing mass of shadows and the laughing man behind her.

"YOU'RE MEAN!"

* * *

Seras had finally reached Sir Integra's study and knocked on the door. She could hear a heartbeat inside, so she knew the Heiress was in the room. Asleep or awake, she couldn't tell. Until a soft voice called to her, Seras was about ready to take off to patrol the outside.

"Come in." Seras phased through the door, not bothering to open it. "You know, if you wanted to be as arrogant as your Master, you could always just phase into the room uncalled for," Integra spoke with a smirk. "But then again, as an Englishwoman, it's always better to maintain your manners. Even as a vampire." Sir Integra sipped from a cup of tea as she motioned for the standing Seras to sit in front of her. Seras obeyed the motion and sat, cross legged, and peered at the many papers on her Master's Master's desk.

"Any missions I'm required to go on, Sir?"

"No, Miss Victoria, not tonight." Seras cocked her head, not unlike a confused puppy, Integra determined. "Having a bad night, Seras?" Slightly surprised by both the sudden familiarity and question, Seras bristled. Noticing the concern on her agent's face, Sir Integra continued. "You're up late. I could've been killed before you showed up to my room!" Although joking, Seras took that statement into consideration and agreed silently.

"Well, Sir. I, um, I had a…. A bad dream, I suppose." Seras fidgeted, uncomfortable with the closure, though Sir had helped her through many a bad thought.

Through the decades, Sir Integra and Seras had become incredibly close. Without Alucard in the middle, the two had become almost sisterly in their relationship. And now that Integra was in her 50's, she felt almost _motherly_ over the vampire. That is, When she forgot that Seras was, indeed, a vampire. Being a Hellsing comes with a deeply ingrained hate for vampires and other undead freaks, but when faced with Seras, Integra felt that hate fade down into mere annoyance at the girl's undead attributes. What Integra felt for Seras was as close a feeling she could liken to love. Platonic or not, Integra couldn't quite determine. All the Heiress knew was that she did care for the Draculina, much more, and quite differently than Alucard. "Was it Him again?" she asked, with… was it _pity_ that Seras detected?

"Yes Sir," Seras looked down, embarrassment filling her features, "I miss him so much Sir Integra. I don't understand what's taking him so long to come back to... to Hellsing."

"You mean to come back to **you** , Police Girl?" Integra seemed amused at the agent's sudden blush at her accusation, and continued her light hearted mocking. "Just say it, Seras. It's alright, I won't judge you."

"Sir!" Seras squealed uncomfortably. "Fine. I want him to come back to me. And I know he will!" This earned her a sidelong glance from the tea-sipping Sir. "I just don't know when." Looking defeated, Seras stood and walked towards the window, basking in the filtered moonlight. Leaning against the window pane, she turned back to her boss. "I love him. I know you don't approve, but I love him." At this, Integra turned and walked over to the small girl. Looking over at her with her one good eye, she put her hand on Seras' shoulder.

"Of course I don't approve. He's- was- **is** a monster."

"Well so am I."

"No. Not like him. You hold onto your humanity. Alucard… He has none left. I doubt he even has the capacity to truly love. May I tell you something, Seras?" Seras merely shook her head in compliance and sat down with Integra on the wide window pane. Integra wrapped an arm around the girl, and looked into her eyes. "When he first brought you here, Alucard, he… He wouldn't tell me why it was that he turned you. Now, he would say that it was a case of "whimsy" or something or other, but that doesn't sound like the Count, now does it. I knew him, as much as one could know Alucard at the time. From both my time spent with him, and from reading my father's books, I determined that he turned you because he saw something in you he liked. Something he wanted." She paused at this.

"He liked my strength, how I didn't give up. He told me that." Seras looked away from Integra.

"No- it wasn't just that. From the way he treated you…. It was different. He wanted **you** , Seras. Whether it was lust, love, hunger, or something different all together, he wanted you.

The way he looked at you, Seras… It was unique. Now, I'm only telling you this because I want you to know that he was possessive of you. When we spoke of you, he acted and spoke as though he owned you. And, of course, in a sense he does. As his Childe, he looked over you. But his feelings ran deeper than that.

He felt… Something towards you. There's no question about that." Integra eyed Seras tentatively, and scooted closer to her. "I won't say he loved you, because I don't believe he can. But I want you to be careful."

"What?" Now Seras felt as though she were floundering in confusion. _Careful of what?_

"If and when your Master returns, I want you to be wary after my death."

"Sir!" Seras was shocked that Integra would even mention such a morbid thing. Turning towards her, she got ready to give the Hellsing Heiress an earful, until she continued.

"No, Seras, let me continue. After my death, his bonds will be released. I am the last in the Hellsing line, and I'm now an old woman. As a human, death is the one certainty I have in life." Eyeing her agent, she pulled her face to look back at her. "I need you to listen. When his bonds are released, he will take you. He wants you to be by his side. As what, I don't know- he wouldn't tell me. All he said was that one day, you would rule by his side. Do **not** let him force you into anything. As intimidating as he is, I don't believe he would risk losing you. Be strong, and don't let him walk you into anything. He is a monster. He will hurt you, over and over, especially so when he doesn't mean to. It's his way." There was a tense silence between the two before Integra let Seras' face go.

"Why are you telling me all this now, Sir?" Trembling, Seras placed her hands under her thighs.

"I simply thought you needed to know it now. You're strong Seras. Don't ever lose that strength." With that last statement, Integra walked back to her desk and organized her messy pile of paper into one stack. "Now, go patrol the grounds Agent Victoria. I'm off to bed."

Seras immediately stood at attention and saluted her boss. "Yes Sir!"

Integra chuckled as Seras marched towards the door. With one foot out of it, she turned and happily called out to her boss. "Goodnight Sir." Integra nodded her head in acknowledgement and watched her agent phase through the door.

Lighting a cigar, she mumbled to herself. _"That girl is going to be the death of me, I swear it."_


	4. Dream Come True

**Ferne's Thoughts:** Wow, today has been a productive day! I believe I should be able to update to Chapter 5 today, but don't hold me to it! Also, I'd love to give my first shout out, to PinkTypewritter! Thanks for the support on the story! I won't give anything away, but I love your theories! Anyway, this one is going to be a long one. Get strapped in, kiddos!

*** _I do not own Hellsing, or the Hellsing Universe. If I did, it would be a lot easier to force all my fav characters into beautiful relationships (or tragic? DUN DUN DUN). ***_

* * *

 _That voice… Beautiful. Who is it? Ah… That's right. It's my Seras._ He picked himself off the cold ground and pushed forward. Their cries, their terrible screams ringing in his ears. The sound was absolutely deafening, and quite frankly, at this point it was just annoying. The red of their bodies came into view again. He was ready. He would get out. He would kill, would destroy, would **rip apart anything that tried to get in his way**. He would eviscerate anything that threatened to get in between him and his Seras. He would do this. For her. For _them._

* * *

The moon light was nearly blinding him, not being used to natural light outside of his purgatory. For thirty years he had fought. For thirty years he had moved. _For thirty fucking years, I haven't had a drop to drink._ Having absorbed the cat-boy, Schrodinger, Alucard had been able to simply will himself at Hellsing the minute he destroyed the last soul. And now, he stood in the foyer, sensing the heartbeats and pulses surrounding him. His stomach growled in wanting. _It's been so long since I've heard that euphoric sound._ His eyes quickly darted towards the shadows descending the stairs. He crept into the wall, and became nearly invisible, except for a pair of glowing eyes. The shadow descending the stairs, he noticed, was indeed a shadow. A glowing mass of red and black airy tendrils sweeping the stairs. Alucard's eyebrows raised in surprise. He sniffed the air in question, wondering what creature was creating this image. He felt a shift in the air and turned his attention to a semi-ghostly Frenchman standing near him.

"Mon ma mes, it seems as though the crimson clad bastard has come back home. After thirty years, I'd thought you for dead, Monsieur!" Captain Pip Bernadotte smirked up at the glowing eyes as they became mere slits meeting his. "Ma Cher will be… excited to see you, to say the least." Pip placed his hands in his pockets as his ghostly cigarette dropped continually regenerating ashes. He started to walk away when Alucard drew his attention back.

"And just where _is_ Seras?" He started to phase back into view as Pip answered him.

"Right there, you idiot." He pointed to the shadows on the stairs as they suddenly disappeared. Shocked, Alucard looked back to the Frenchman as he too started to fade. "Ah, and now I must take my leave as well. Au revoir!" His laughter faded away. And with his disappearance, a blonde head peered from around the corner of the stairs.

 _It seems as though Police Girl has learned a thing or two. But it also seems as though I may need to teach that familiar of hers a lesson in respect._ At the sight of his Childe, he fully disappeared from view.

Seras trotted down the stairs, chest and blonde hair bouncing nicely as she did so, Alucard noted. She held a gun in her right hand, while her left was a shadowy mass being formed into claw. _So she senses me, hmm? I'll have to test her skills._ As suddenly as she appeared, she was gone again. Alucard felt slightly guilty at not greeting his fledgling upon seeing her, but he had another idea for his immediate arrival. _I'd love a drop of pure, virgin blood._

* * *

When Seras descended the stairs, she sensed… something. Something malevolent. _Is there an enemy here?_ She was on guard. Quickly, she called Pip to her side to tell her of any targets she would need to take out. Once he was back in her mind, she asked him about the Manors status.

" _No, Seras. No enemies. You're simply going crazy. With that mad man as your maker, it's simply no surprise his madness would rub off on you!"_ Seras yelled at him in protest, but decided to go patrol the rest of the grounds.

After all, her familiar wouldn't lie to her. Or maybe he couldn't. _Could he?_

"Rock, rock, rock. Isn't there anything out here besides birds and rocks?" Ten minutes into patrolling the grounds outside the manor, and Seras hadn't even found a trace of anybody coming near the mansion. After not being on a mission for two weeks, she was getting antsy. "I just want to kill something!" She screamed in frustration as Pip whispered in her mind something about her 'going ballistic'.

"Pip! You don't understand! I **need** to rip something apart. I haven't shot anything in weeks. I almost wish somebody would try and attack Sir Integra. Just so I can get some exercise!" She sat down on a nearby rock, and twirled her gun lazily. Pip started to talk. "I know, I know. _Don't give in Seras, Ma Cher, be strong, hold on to zat humanitee."_ She mocked the Frenchman and his dramatic movements, "Well, I am holding onto it. For you, for Sir Integra, and for myself. I won't lose control." She sighed and dropped her gun in her lap. "Maybe I **am** going crazy." She thought for a moment longer, before returning to her- now seemingly one sided- conversation. "Stir-crazy."

She stood and started walking farther towards the outlying forests near the estate. She heard something rustle in the leaves and drew her gun, her shadows spreading out around her flesh like armor. "Come out with your hands up or I'll kill you!" She shouted to the air surrounding her. A form came from the forest and Seras placed her finger on the trigger. A small rabbit came flouncing out of the wood, and upon eyeing Seras' shadows, turned and ran.

Pip's laughter rang through her head as he taunted her for 'hunting a bunny', and being a 'bunny killing beast'. _Oh shut up already! I didn't even shoot it._ She paused as tears welled in her eyes. _I'd never hurt a cute little bunny!_ Suddenly, gunshots rang out from the mansion. Though Seras was several kilometers away, her vampiric hearing allowed her to notice the offending noise just as easily as had she been in the mansion herself. Bristling, Seras phased back to the mansion foyer.

* * *

Servants were murmuring and some soldiers were running around trying to find something to kill. "Where did it come from?" Seras called out, asking anyone who would answer her call. Several people murmured something about Integra, and Seras ran to her bedroom.

There was deep laughter coming from Integra's bedroom. _Maniacal, evil, booming laughter. It couldn't be!_ Seras kicked the door open and stood shocked at the image before her.

A large man standing hunched over, covered in blood, laughing like a lunatic. Her boss, Sir Integra, sitting up in her bed with a pistol in her hands muttering things about an ungrateful, disgusting vampire.

"Sir…Integra?" Seras put her gun down and stared, slack jawed at the scene unplaying before her. Sir Hellsing looked at the little blonde, wanting to laugh at her hilarious stature. The bleeding man stopped laughing as the blood covering his person was sucked back into him. He slowly rose back up to his full stature, hands falling from his face. Seras gasped as his features came into view, illuminated by the moonlight. Those fiery eyes.

"Police Girl."


	5. Tension

**Ferne's Thoughts:** Well, this is going to be the last chapter I post tonight! I hope You don't think it's a huge cliffhanger! I really love writing this, and intend on making it a huge story. Thanks to everybody who has taken the time to read my boring story and/or review!

 _*** I do not own Hellsing, nor Alucard, or Teggie, or Miss Victoria. Hell, I don't even own Pip! But if I did, oh the things I would do… (Cue the maniacal laughter)***_

* * *

Seras felt light headed. She was overwhelmed by so much. _Master is back. Sir Integra shot him. Why did she shoot Master? Why is he back? Why are they staring at me? I feel woozy. I think I'm going to faint…_ The room was spinning as Seras tried to get a hold on her emotions, to control her thoughts, to stay standing, but she failed miserably at all. The room turned black as voices dulled to a murmur.

* * *

"Seras? Seras are you alright?" Integra called out to the stumbling Draculina, who at the moment seemed to be staring dumbly at her maker. Alucard took a few steps forward, towards his fledgling, concern highlighting his features. Seras finally fell toward the ground, as her Master caught her. Integra stood from her bed and moved toward the two. Alucard held Seras in a way reminiscent of the night he turned her. He look to the Hellsing Heiress for a moment before she spoke. "Bring her here, lay her on the bed." She motioned the pair toward her massive bed. Alucard did just that, and laid her carefully on the fluffy blankets.

"I'll go get her-" Integra paused for a moment, "you two some blood." With that last statement, Sir Integra Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing walked toward the doorframe- the door was lying on busted hinges after the Police Girl's arrival- and stopped once she had one toe outside it. She turned to watch the vampiric pair on her bed. Alucard was brushing hair out of Seras' face with one gloved hand, while the other stroked her waist absentmindedly. He either didn't hear her or just didn't respond to her, so Integra walked out of the room. With both concern and a pang of spreading jealousy, Sir Integra sought out the assistance of her best butler, Vincent.

With Integra out of the room, and Seras unconscious, Alucard had nobody to shield his emotions from. He looked upon his fledgling-now a true Nosferatu- with admiration, concern, and an indistinguishable emotion. His hand petting her hair stopped and he turned his attention to stroking her cheek. His thumb ran over the pale swell of her bottom lip. _So tempting. What I wouldn't do for just-_ he moved closer to Seras- _one-_ nose to nose- _taste._ He stopped a mere centimeter away from her pouting lips, and moved away, runes glowing and burning at his flesh. Moving his hand once more, he settled it underneath her palm. Her hand was less than half that of his. _You're so small Police Girl. How could anybody fear you?_ Teasing her in his mind wasn't half as fun as seeing her reaction. _That gorgeous blush that takes over your pale skin is absolutely breath taking. I might as well tease you about this as well._ He could feel their mental bond strengthening as the seconds past.

Having been so wrapped up in caring for his fledgling, the No-Life-King hadn't noticed the two humans coming into the room until they stood outside. Slowly, he looked up and noticed a man talking to Integra in the doorway. He studied the man. At first Alucard had thought it was the late Walter Dorneaz. _Traitorous bastard._ He snarled at the thought. The man next to Sir Integra was tall. Close to his height, take a few inches. His auburn hair was neatly tied back and trailed down his back, stopping just after his shoulders. His skin was dark, yet pale all at once. The man turned towards Alucard and his chocolate eyes gleamed in the starlight. A welcoming smile came across the man's features, the name of which Alucard had assumed was Vincent, based on Integra's use of the name. When the man's gaze turned toward Seras, however, a look of terror became them. He rushed over to her side, nearly landing on the ancient vampire's lap in the process.

Alucard instantly snarled at the young man, and loomed over him. Integra was sure that if she didn't step in, Alucard would've torn the poor man to bits.

"Stand down Alucard." Integra walked closer towards the two, a bucket of ice and multiple blood packets in her hand. Alucard looked almost disappointed at the order, while Vincent hadn't even seemed to notice the Vampire King. Alucard growled again. This time Vincent turned his attention toward the man.

"Get away from _my Seras_ , boy." Alucard seemed as though he would rip the man apart if given the chance. He was hungry, _perhaps this butler may be a sufficient meal?_ At the vampire's statement, Vincent stood from where he was knealing, and looked Alucard in the eye.

"Your Seras? I apologize, but Miss Victoria belongs to nobody but the Hellsing Organization, as far as I'm aware." Every word sent from the man's mouth was dripping acid as he sent the vampire a smirk.

Alucard's eyes widened at the gall of the young man and he bared his teeth before laughing heartily at the flinch Vincent gave.

"Stop it, both of you," Integra warned, "or I'll lock _you_ up again, Alucard, and I'll _fire_ you, Vincent." Looking between the two hostile men, she spoke once more. "Now Alucard, I'm sure you're hungry. Since you didn't get the _bite you intended to._ " Integra's words dropped even more poison than Vincent's had. After a moment, Alucard turned towards his master and walked over to her for his meal. Integra took Alucard's place on the bed next to the unconscious Police Girl. "Vincent, be a dear and grab me a cold cloth?" It was amazing how the old woman had learned to change her tone from borderline sadistic to sweet as honey.

Vincent bowed slightly and walked out of the bedroom and towards the bathroom.

Peering into the ice bucket, Alucard noticed the abundance of medical blood. "Eight bags?" His eyebrows rose. "How many of these are for me? Or is the Police Girl still starving herself?" Grabbing one, he turned toward his Master and his Childe. Integra was holding Seras' hand. Jealously sunk its teeth into him again.

"Six for you, two for Seras. I'm guessing she hasn't eaten yet tonight." Already having drained one bag, he reached for another.

"That Vincent boy's plucky isn't he?" He awaited her reply, and when faced with silence, continued. "Are the two of them… _**involved**_?" He spoke the last word with such distaste, Integra was sure he was going to vomit his food if she said anything but no.

So, naturally, she decided to test that theory. "Why? Would that bother you, Vampire King?" She smirked at him as he scrunched up his nose. He opened his mouth to say something in rebuttle when Vincent strolled back in, cloth in hand.

"Here you are, Sir Integra." He handed the aged woman the cloth and snuck a look at the man boiling in the corner. "What happened to Miss Victoria? Will she be alright Sir?" His concern angered Alucard further.

"Oh the Police Girl is quite alright, _Vincent._ " Alucard took two long steps toward the man before continuing. "My fledgling simply swooned when she took notice of my return. Quite a charming sentiment really." He smiled maliciously at the man, who merely squinted in return.

* * *

Seras' eyes fluttered open slowly as she heard two men bickering. The voices got louder until she found herself fully awake. Turning her head, she saw multiple blurry forms _dancing?_ She sat up in the bed she was laid on.

"Vincent put your damned gun away now!" _Vincent? What's going on?_ The forms came more into focus and she recognized them as two men fighting. "Alucard! Put your bloody teeth away and put down _my bloody gun!_ "

Seras suddenly came to attention. The men fighting were Vincent and… and…

"Master!" Seras screamed and all three turned towards her, while the men lowered their weapons. She got up and bolted towards her Sire and hugged his waist tightly. Looking into his face, she saw him looking down at her, face coming back together after seemingly being shot multiple times. His eyes looked into hers, filled with something she couldn't quite place. The corners of his lips twitched a bit, before he spoke.

"Good evening, Police Girl." Seras reached her hand up into his hair, and stroked it for a moment, before roughly pulling it. Seras felt his neck snap as she realized she may have pulled too hard.

"It really is you, Master!" She smiled, her eyes filled with joy as she moved away from him and peered around the room.

Both Vincent and Sir Integra seemed uncomfortable with the display she had just put on for her Sire, but she paid them no attention. "Sir Integra! Master's back! He's back!" Seras looked like a child getting a birthday present. Alucard snapped his neck back into place and set the weapon in his hand down.

"Yes, Seras, I've noticed." Integra sighed as she ushered Vincent out. The man in question peeking over his shoulder at the newly conscious Draculina. At the door, she turned towards the vampires, one of which was grabbing and pulling at every possible thing she could on the elder. "Now, I do believe the sun will be rising soon, and I have a headache. Get to bed, Miss Victoria." A frown replaced Seras' beaming smile as she reluctantly obeyed Sir Integra. She waved a goodbye to her Master, who smirked in return.

Once Seras had left the room, Integra turned toward the Elder Vampire. "Now, I'd like to have a chat with you, Alucard."


	6. The Beginning of A Struggle

_**Ferne's Thoughts:**_ Wow, thanks to everyone that took the time to read and comment on my story! Also, shoutout to Jareth'sQueenBitch! This next chapter is going to be a doozy. Toodles!

*** _I do not own Hellsing. However, if I am ever to own Hellsing one day in the future, I promise I will make it my duty to create beautiful fluffy episodes dedicated to the cutest ships. Here, Here. ***_

* * *

Seras ran down the steps and into the lower levels. Her room had been moved onto the second to last basement floor during the renovations and reconstruction of the Hellsing Manor after the Millennium incident. She favored it down there, as opposed to one of the above basement rooms, which Sir Integra had offered the budding Draculina after her Master's disappearance. It was quieter. The stone walls of the basement and sub-basement levels kept noise out, more or less. This was, of course, a great blessing to the girlish creature since she slept during the day while the manor was alive and bustling.

 _I wonder what Sir Integra wanted to speak to Master about._ The small vampire was still blushing and smiling by the time she got to her room. Leaning against the closed door, she tried to collect herself. _Surely, when Master is done he'll come and see me!_ Yawning, she looked to her clock. _4:57. The sun will be rising soon._ She walked over to her bed- she had switched out her coffin bed for an actual bed, being the fickle thing that she is however, she kept her coffin close. In a sense, the bed she slept in now was much like a coffin bed. She had a compartment under the mattress to hold the soil of her birthplace, so she slept soundly and safely. So yes, it was a coffin bed, just sans coffin top!

Sitting on top of the soiled comforter she thought of her Master. She felt an odd vibration in her brain. As if something was… digging into her thoughts? She felt like there was a string connecting her mind to something, and the string seemed to be getting thicker. _Odd._ She yawned once more, before laying down. _Only for a second. I'm not even that tired._ Thoughts of her newly returned Master flooded the small girls mind.

* * *

Integra took some time to change into a suit while her servant vampire sat patiently in her office. "I'll be damned if I let that obnoxious vampire storm into my home, creep in my room at ungodly hours of the night, try to take a bite out of my neck, attack my best butler, send my best agent into bipolar fits, and," she took a look in her vanity mirror, "get to stare at me in such indecent clothing!" Every word she spoke came out as increasingly loud growls. Buttoning her final jacket button, she pulled a cigar out of her dresser drawer- _Seras would never_ _ **dare**_ _to look for them in here_ \- lit it, and puffed anxiously on it.

It had been thirty-odd years since the Hellsing Heiress had been in control of the ancient vampire Alucard, and to be honest she was a smidgen afraid. Not afraid of him, god no, but afraid of what would become of her organization, her manor, her life's work, and -ultimately- Seras once she had died and he'd been freed of his bonds. Straightening her jacket once more, she walked towards her office.

* * *

Alucard had taken the absence of his Master as an opportunity to go through the countless papers on her desk.

 _Electric bill, water bill, well the telephone bill is rather high. I wonder who's entertaining my Master during the late hours?_ Chuckling, he placed the bills back in place when he noticed a bright blue note stuck to his Master's desk.

" _Dear Sir Teggie,_

 _Thank you so much for not yelling at me tonight. I know I shouldn't have challenged Vincent to a drinking competition, but I_ _ **knew**_ _I would win! I know that you were probably upset that I broke 12 mirrors, but I honestly thought they were doors to alternate realities! I was scared. At least I didn't kill Lt. Jaffe. Four broken fingers and a fractured skull aren't permanent injuries. He'll be fine in no time! I'm still kind of dizzy but I wanted to write you this not to make sure you didn't hate me. I miss him. Anyway, thanks!_

 _Love,_

 _Seras V_

 _Ps: the 'V' stands for Victoria, not Vampire!"_

Alucard chuckled at the note his fledgling had written when she was, presumably, drunk. He placed it back on the desk, and decided to take a seat. He heard Sir Integra muttering something as she came closer to the office and took a moment to investigate his gloves. _I abhor these damned symbols. Back to a life of servitude, how splendid._ His thoughts turned over to his Childe as she noticed the tug on their mental link. _At least I have some company to serve with._ He smiled at the thought of finally being with his Childe after all his time spent destroying the souls he'd collected. His smile turned into a smirk as his Master walked through the office doors, puffing on a cigar as though her life depended on it.

"You know, Integra," he called out to the aging woman as she took a seat at her desk, "those things'll kill you. And at your age, it's probably going to be sooner rather than later." She chuckled and brushed the hair out of her good eye's view of him.

"That's what Seras says. She all but forced me to stop smoking so much, so now I'm stuck with smoking in the secrecy of my room." Now it was Alucard's turn to laugh as he imagined the petite Police Girl berating his hardened master, scolding her into better habits.

"Time has passed since I last saw the two of you." Integra nodded her head in agreement. "It seems as though your relationship has changed with the Police Girl." Taking a long drag from her cigar, she looked at him for a few seconds before replying.

"Yes. We are very close. You were hardly missed, I assure you." Integra's tone was biting and defensive, though Alucard hadn't the faintest idea what she was defending.

"Is that so?"

"Mm." The two were locked in a staring contest with each other until Alucard once again broke the silence his Master had brought.

"I thought you wished to **speak** with me, _my Master._ But if you'd rather just bask in my awe-inspiring presence, I'm fine with that as well." Alucard's smug smirk made Integra want to shoot him in the head again.

"You're right, _my_ _ **servant.**_ I did wish to speak with you." Alucard folded his hands in his lap and leaned back, ready for the lecture he was about to receive. "I want to place some new rules for you."

With this, Alucard snapped his attention to her, anger rising. "I'm gone for thirty years and all I get when I return are damned _rules?_ "

Integra's eye twitched at his outburst. "Hold your tongue, Alucard. This is important. And you will abide by every single rule, until my passing, do you understand?"

"Do I have a choice?" He stared her down viciously, thinking thoughts that caused his runes to burn his flesh.

Raising an eyebrow at the glowing gloves, she continued. "You will maintain a respectable distance from Miss Victoria." Alucard bristled. "No inappropriate touching, conversation, or relationships that are less than professional."

Alucard clucked his tongue, running a hand through his hair. "You sure are worried for my fledgling's safety." Acid dripped from every drawn out syllable.

"Yes. Yes, I am, Alucard. I have an idea of what you want to make of her, and it's not a pretty thought." He glared at her. "While I am still alive, you will **keep your distance!** " Integra was practically standing over the sitting vampire as she shouted in his face.

"Just as long as you do the same, my **Master.** " At this, Integra raised a hand to slap the vampire.

"You arrogant bastard!" As her hand came towards his face, Alucard grabbed her wrist. His runes burned with an intensity he was unused to, especially after a thirty year break from them. "Unhand me, vampire," Integra growled. Alucard stood, his gaze never breaking from that of his Masters. He held onto her wrist until he spoke.

"How curious. My pure Christian Master, has _feelings_ for my fledgling vampire." He sneered at his Master. "Tell me, _Sir Integra Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing,"_ every syllable filled with poison, "is my little Seras the reason you haven't married?"

She pulled her wrist from his grasp. "You vile creature! What I feel for Seras in none of your concern. And furthermore, if you would like an admittance, here: I would sooner have her be mine than allow her to be yours." She pulled back from Alucard. Both sets of eyes were locked once more, filling with contempt. "Now get out of my office." Spitting her words like ammunition at her servant, she turned her back to him.

Alucard stood his ground for a moment before he turned toward the exit. As he phased through the wall, his voice rang out as clear as daylight in his Master's head, "She will be mine." Integra scoffed at the offending voice.

"Not while I'm still breathing, Count." As the sun broke the horizon, she sat down and decided that she would sleep during the afternoon.

* * *

Alucard followed his senses to his Childe's room. In the years since he'd been gone, it appeared that Seras had all but abandoned sleeping in a coffin, and had taken to decorating her room with all sorts of photographs and notes on the stone walls. Seeing Seras sleeping on the exposed bed, he walked over to peer at the photographs silently.

Seras with Sir Integra. _She even got Integra to smile._

Seras with a troop of young Hellsing soldiers. _That one on the left is clearly staring at her chest._

Seras surrounded by small animals in the Roundtable Conference Room. _What, did she start a shelter there?_

Seras sitting on a bench, with a bird on her shoulder and a bucket of bird seed in her hand. _Why so many animals, Police Girl?_

He looked at one more in her collection. Seras holding her finger out to a man. _Is she feeding_ _ **frosting**_ _to that_ _ **Vincent**_ _man? Why would somebody take a photograph of this? Why would she pose like that? God damn Seras._ He growled in his mind, unsure if their bond had strengthened enough to where Seras could hear as well, but he made sure that if she could, she did.

Since his sudden return, Alucard had felt four emotions. Anger, jealousy, guilt, and something he couldn't quite place but that bubbled up in his chest when he looked at his Childe. It seemed to be a new record of feeling for the Count. Perhaps when he had gotten rid of those pesky souls, he allowed his own more space? _Preposterous. I don't even have a soul anymore._ He actually wasn't sure of that one, but it made him feel better to think that.

Looking down at the resting Seras once more, he decided that her bed was big enough for the both of them. Leaning onto the bed, he took up the space unoccupied by the small girl. After spreading out his legs and getting comfortable, he looked to the spot Seras was laying in. Noticing the crimson stains, he immediately understood what had happened. _Little Seras, crying in her sleep… I wonder what she dreamt of._ Draping an arm over her, he held her close. He breathed in the scent of her. _Orange blossom, jasmine and blood. What an intoxicating plethora for an intoxicating woman._ Seras' body shifted against him, getting as close as she could to his form. Alucard's runes burned him for the umpteenth time since his return, at the action of him touching her in such a way. _I've been through the fires of hell and back, destroyed 3 million souls, and was nearly destroyed myself- all to get back to her. I'll be damned if I'm going to let some pesky spell get in my way._

Soon after, Alucard's eyes drifted closed as he used his shadows to turn off Seras' lamp.


	7. Assumptions and Worries

**Ferne's Thoughts:** So I currently have all these plot developments floating around in my brain that I'm going to need some time to plan out and fully develop before I publish more chapters past this one. Sorry for the inconvenience! Thanks to everybody for the support! This chapter is dialogue heavy, be warned! :))

*** _I do not own Hellsing, though I do own this story and its plot, since it stemmed from my delusional Hellsing filled mind! ***_

* * *

Vincent worked through his daily chores through the Hellsing manor. Having only been hired on to the Hellsing staff two years prior, he didn't have extensive knowledge on the history of Hellsing, but he did know enough to get by. _The Hellsing Organization is an organization that serves to protect the public from inhuman creatures that threaten the Crown, the Queen, and God. Or… something._ Vincent had gone through both Sir Integra, and Miss Victoria telling him what Hellsing serves to do, over and over again until he felt as though his ear may fall off. _And yet,_ he thought, _they let that…_ _ **monster**_ _stay under our roof._

The vampires had retired several hours ago, and it was now late morning. Vincent huffed his thoughts away and walked into the kitchen to prepare Sir Integra's mid-morning tea. _Earl Grey at eleven, peppermint tea at one in the afternoon as a refresher, then black tea for the remainder of the day, unless instructed otherwise._

As Vincent fiddled with the tea preparations, a soldier walked in to the otherwise empty kitchen. "Hey, Vincent," his gruff voice called to the busy butler, "do you know what all the fuss was about last night? It was like the whole damn place blew up."

Vincent bristled at the memory of his encounter with a certain creature. "Apparently, an ancient vampire came back from the dead to serve Sir Integra again." Vincent spoke to the hardened soldier with such an air of nonchalance that the older man thought he was joking.

"W…What? Did that actually happen?" At this, Vincent turned toward the soldier.

"Lieutenant Jaffe, I am a bit fuzzy on all of the details, but here is all I know at the moment." The soldier leaned on a counter. Sighing, the butler continued. "Are you aware of the stories of Dracula?" The soldier smiled for a moment, before face turning to stone again, suppressing a laugh.

"Course I do, Vincent! What does that have to do with anything? How could I not?"

"Well then," Vincent poured steaming liquid into a porcelain cup, "you should be aware of the fact that Sir Integra's ancestor, Abraham van Hellsing, defeated the monstrous Count. Thus, the Hellsing family came into possession of the infamous Count Dracula." Vincent grabbed the tray holding the hot tea. "Now, more commonly known as Alucard."

The man seemed confused, and slightly scared. "What does that have to do with anything, though?"

Bristling slightly, Vincent turned from his place by the door. "He's back."

* * *

Vincent walked into his boss' office, waiting a respectable amount of time after knocking. Upon entering, he noticed a slumped over Integra, and a quiet snoring sound. He chuckled slightly to himself, walking over to her and placing the tray of tea on the space unoccupied by either the old woman or papers of varying importance.

He tapped her on the shoulder a few times. "Sir? Sir Integra? Your tea is ready."

The woman stirred slightly before lifting her head. "Vincent? What time is it? Is everybody alright?" The woman was slurring her words, clearly still waking up from a deep sleep.

"Yes Sir, nothing has happened since that… _man_ went to… Well, wherever he went. And it is 11:15 in the morning, Sir." Vincent drew the curtains back, allowing hazy, cloud-filtered sunlight through the windows. Satisfied with the action, he walked back to the front of the desk.

Integra leaned up in her chair, straightening -and in turn, cracking- her back, before cracking her neck as well. She leaned over slight and grabbed her drink. Blowing over it for a moment, she took a cautious sip. Seemingly more lucid, she motioned for Vincent to sit. He did. "You remember the talk we had last night, correct Vincent?"

The man recalled the short chat the two had before he had been acquainted with Alucard. "Yes Sir. We spoke of the boundaries that Alucard is expected to obey." He paused slightly. "As well as those that I am to, as well. I swore to you that I would not push, nor confront him… Unless he confronts me first. You understand, I'm sure."

Integra placed her cup down. "I would strongly advise against that, Vincent. Although I can hold Alucard back while I'm here, he may still hold a grudge for you once I die. And I promise you, you don't want the No-Life-King holding a grudge against you." Fingers tapped on the desk. "I also wanted to speak to you about some more things, regarding our newest arrival."

Vincent nodded, "Of course, Sir."

"Now, I would like for you to pay close attention. You, of course, are aware that Miss Victoria is a vampire, yes?"

"Yes." Vincent's eyes were locked on the tapping fingers.

"Do you know who made her that way? Has she ever spoken to you about it? I know you two are fairly friendly."

"Well, uh, no Sir. I just supposed that," Vincent cleared his throat, "-that Hellsing had taken care of him." He shifted while Integra laughed humorlessly.

"Oh, I wish. No, that's not quite the case. Her Sire is Alucard." Upon seeing Vincent's incredulous stare, she continued. "Didn't you wonder why the two vampires acted so familiar?"

"Well, no Sir. I knew that the two _were_ familiar, I just didn't know to what extent. I knew they both fought during the Millennium Incident." He fumbled a bit with his words. "But… That… That monster made _Seras?_ "

"Vincent. Seras Victoria is also a monster. The only difference between the two is that Seras holds on to her humanity. Her Master abandoned that trait long ago." She paused to take a few more sips of her tea. Vincent furrowed his eyebrows, trying to see a monster in the dainty blonde.

Coming up short, he turned his gaze to Sir Integra. "She may be a monster, but with all due respect, Sir, Seras is different." Nodding in agreement, Integra continued.

"Anyway, I have given Alucard orders to keep his distance from Miss Victoria. I fear what he may do with her if given free reign. Now, although I have full faith in the spell binding Alucard and his actions, he always seems to find loopholes. This is where I need you to come in, Vincent."

"Sir?"

"I need you to watch over the two and keep the Nosferatu in line while I'm not there." The butler nodded. "Furthermore, I am requesting that you maintain your watch over the two after my passing. To the best of your abilities, of course." Vincent had a few questions bubbling in his mind.

"But Sir, if you don't mind me asking, what do you think he may do to her?"

"Corrupt her. Turn her into the bloodthirsty monster he is. Force her into a life with him, as a trophy- meant to be seen and not heard. Treat her like an object. Force her into actions she would never take part in, if not for him. Destroy her, ruin the Seras we have both come to know." She paused for a moment, to collect herself from the intense display she had just put forth. "I am afraid he will hurt her. Not intentionally, perhaps, but he will hurt her."

"If you believe this to be true, why are you even allowing him to be around her?" Vincent needed to understand things further.

"She loves him, Vincent. She needs him at this point. They are still Master and Childe, and that bond will not fade unless she drinks his blood. And even then, it's truly up to Alucard whether or not to let her go. Which I highly doubt he will." She pulled a cigar out of her pocket and started to puff on it. "As much as I detest it, she loves him. There's nothing I can do. I don't see what she does in him, though. Do you?" She looked at him with humor in her eye.

"Between me shooting him in the face and him trying to bite my flesh from my bones, there wasn't much I saw to love, Sir." She murmured in agreement.

"That's another thing. Though I am asking you to watch over the two, I do not mean for you to get in between the two. At any point. Do you understand?" Upon seeing his agreement, she kept going. "Alucard will more than likely become very possessive of his fledgling, and even _jealous,"_ she sneered, "of anybody who threatens to take her attentions or affection from him. Much like an obsessed lover, if you will."

At the mental image of small Seras bedding the giant, snarling King, Vincent shuddered. "So you want me to… to make sure that Alucard doesn't take advantage of – _or hurt –_ Seras? And once you've died, you want me to keep watching them to make sure he doesn't do it then as well?"

"Will that be an issue, Vincent?" The Heiress looked through the small cloud of smoke at the butler.

"No Sir, but," he closed his eyes for a moment, "just how do you expect me to stop him from doing anything once his bonds are released? Won't he become incredibly powerful? How am I to stand up to that, if he decides to get rid of me?"

Integra hummed in thought. "You will lay your life down for the Hellsing Organization, just as you swore to do when I hired you on."

Vincent honestly had no issue in dying for Seras. She was as close a sister to him as possible. "I understand."

"Good. Thank you, Vincent. You can go now." Integra gave a small smile to the devoted butler as he bowed and gave his good days.

* * *

 _Perhaps,_ Vincent pondered as he strolled through the basement levels to Seras' room, _I feel differently for her than I thought. Perhaps,_ he opened the door to the small Draculina's room, _I might even have a "crush"._ Chuckling at the thought, he stopped once he heard another voice laughing along with him.


	8. Club Drugs

_**Ferne's Thoughts:**_ Can I confess something to you guys? I'm going to. I'm never quite sure what is going to happen in each chapter I write. It's sort of a surprise- for both me AND you! I just check for typos, while my fingers type whatever they want. Writing has also consumed my life and I'm not ashamed. ALSO: anime opening songs always get me pumped.

 _*** I don't own Hellsing. Or Alucard. Or his ovary melting smile. Or his messy hair. I don't even own his attitude. But if somebody can make that happen, I'll be grateful! ***_

* * *

"I certainly hope not, _**little boy**_." The deep voice stopped cackling, and Vincent looked towards the darkest corner in the room. "Seras is much too much of a woman for you to handle, even if she's just a _**Police Girl.**_ " At this, a light turned on, illuminating the room.

"You bloody bastard! I haven't even _**been**_ a police girl in 31 years! Besides, I do believe that you just called me a woman, so wouldn't I be a Police Woman? Huh? **Huh?"** Vincent stared slack-jawed at the screeching Seras as she poked and prodded her chuckling Master.

"Police _**Girl**_ will do," Alucard spoke, barely above a whisper. Suddenly, Seras seemed to fully understand what was happening and looked at her Master, then Vincent as her eyes grew to the size of the moon.

"Master!" She phased out of her bed and to the other side of the room, rubbing her shadow arm nervously. "What are you doing? Get out of my bed! P… Please?"

Alucard sat up and on the edge of her bed. "Well, Police Girl, my Master neglected to inform me of where my room was now located, so I followed the smell of you here." Seras gasped at the statement, taking it as an insult and muttered about how she didn't smell. "When I came down, you were already asleep." He got up at this point, and stretched his long limbs. "I didn't see any point in waking you, so I simply laid down and rested, myself." He eyed her for a moment and she glared at him. "Problem?" She squinted at him and her shadows spread out around her. His response? An anger-inducing grin.

Vincent was standing in the middle of the two, with a bucket of chilled blood in one hand, the other trembling slightly in fear – and anticipation – of a fight. Alucard's eyes broke his gaze from Seras and moved to Vincent. "Ah, it seems you've brought us dinner," he shifted closer to the butler. "Or perhaps you're the main course and those," Alucard pointed a long finger towards the medical bags, "are just… **Dessert.** " Vincent arched an eyebrow at the ancient King as he noticed just how sharp all his teeth _were_.

"Master!" Seras cooed as she walked over to the grinning maniac. "Don't tease Vincent." Alucard's grin faltered a bit as he looked to his fledgling.

"Now, who said I was teasing him?" Alucard turned and grabbed two blood bags from the over-filling ice bucket.

As her Master sat back down on the bed, Seras looked towards her favorite butler sheepishly. "I'm really sorry, Vincent. I promise he won't drink your blood." The king snorted and Seras shot him a quick glance. "Hey," she grabbed his face gently, forcing him to look at her, "are you alright?" The tall man peered down at the short Draculina and smiled.

"Oh yes, I was just a bit shocked to find… your Master here, is all." Vincent grabbed Seras' miniscule hand from his face and stroked it softly with a gloved thumb. He could swear he heard a quiet snarl from somewhere, but it stopped just as quickly as it began. Seras shook her head, satisfied with his answer.

She grabbed the bucket from his hand and placed it on a table at the head of her bed. Looking at the medical bags, she squealed in delight. "B+? Oh Vincent! You always know what I'm in the mood for!" The little Nosferatu skipped back towards the blushing butler and gave him a tight hug, effectively knocking the wind out of him.

Alucard looked on at the display of petty affection with both distaste and contempt. _She's never held me like that. Well, until last night._ He smiled a bit at the thought. He slurped down the rest of the smooth blood and moved onto his last packet.

"Well, uh, I know your favorite types, so," the stammering man cleared his throat as agent Victoria danced around him muttering words of praise happily, "- Yes, if that's all, I'll leave you… Both to your meal." He paused as he opened the door. "Oh, that's right, Sir Integra wants to speak to you both about an assignment once you're done." He nodded a farewell at the girl and passed a glare over the man inspecting his gloves on the bed.

"You should've woken me up, Master." Seras whined towards her distracted Sire.

Seras watched him adjust his gloves before meeting her gaze. "Come sit down, Seras." He spoke in such a gentle tone that one would never know how many people that mouth had ripped apart. Seras cocked her head a little bit at his voice, but complied. She took up a spot to his left and flinched slightly as he laid a gloved hand on her thigh.

Seras watched his hand with intense focus as her Master's thumb caressed gentle circles on her exposed thigh. She looked up to find him staring at her. She blushed and cleared her throat. "M... Master?"

She looked deep into his crimson eyes, which, she noticed, had softened upon Vincent's leave. He tilted his head a bit. Seras' eyes flicked from his and towards his lips, then back again. Suddenly, the room went black and Seras realized her Master had placed his head on hers.

"I've missed you, Seras," he murmured into her hair.

"I… I've missed you too, Master." Seras' tense body relaxed as her Sire placed his other arm around her body.

"I'll never leave you alone again." Alucard took a long breath. "I swear it to you."

 _Is that sadness I hear in his voice? No, I'm just confused._ Not knowing how to reply, Seras gave a shaky one. "I believe you Master. I trust you." He squeezed his fledgling tighter. Seras drank her blood in silence, with her master still draped over her. Occasionally he would nuzzle into her hair, and breathe deeply. _Is he… Sniffing me? My God._ Perhaps her Master just needed some time to acclimate back into being around other people after 30 years of killing souls.

After finishing the last drop of her blood, she broke the calm silence in the room. "Are you ready to go see Sir Integra?"

"Just a moment, Police Girl." Alucard made a content sound and Seras leaned into him a bit more. She pulled at his black suit jacket absentmindedly. Slowly, her Master moved away from her, and gave a disappointed sigh. "Let's go then."

* * *

Seras had begged her Master to walk with her to Integra's office instead of phasing, and after a minute or so of constant whining, he agreed. Seras took the time the spent walking around the Manor to tell him all about how she helped design the reconstruction everything. She pointed out everything. The wallpaper, the décor, the carpets, the windows, the drapes. Alucard thought he was going to rip her head off if she said-

"Oh Master! Look at this one too! Guess who chose it!... I did!"

He groaned in agony and nearly ran over a passing Hellsing soldier. Alucard looked down at the man, who looked up from the book he was reading and turned his head toward Seras.

"Hey there, Lil' Bub! Nice night, eh?" The man blushed as Seras giggled and smiled towards him.

"I think it's a beautiful night, Aria! How's Julianne?"

"Oh she's doin' fine, she is. Won the spelling bee this week!"

Seras glowed. "I always knew she was smart." Seras sighed and pulled on her Master's sleeve. "Well, my Master and I have got to go see Sir Integra. Have a nice night!"

"You too, Bub!" The man passed the pair while giving Seras a wink. Alucard glared at the man.

"Who was that?" Alucard let her hold on to his sleeve.

"Oh, that was Agent Morris Aria. Sometimes he goes on missions with me. I usually train the troop he's in, but I decided to give them a break and just go on some missions myself." She sighed blissfully, remembering the thrill of the hunt.

"What was it he called you?"

"Most of the men call me Bub. Don't ask me why, but one of the men just started calling me that about 15 years ago, and all the others just picked it up I suppose." She waved off the statement with her hand.

Alucard recognized the door to Integra's office and phased next to it, leaving Seras at the other end of the hallway. She took her time walking there and reached her hand out to the knob. Alucard beat her to it though, and opened the door for her. He arched an eyebrow, motioning for her to enter. Seras gaped at her Master's act of chivalry before walking in.

* * *

As Seras walked into her office, Integra smiled at the blonde. That is, until her Master's lengthy frame followed suit, smirk on his face.

"Ah, so Vincent found you then, Alucard?" Integra watched as he sat in one of the chairs. As Seras went to sit in the remaining one, it suddenly dissolved in a mass of shadowy tendrils.

"Master?" Seras looked at him incredulously.

"Oh would you look at that!" Alucard grinned toward his Childe. "It seems that you'll just have to sit on my lap now, hmm?" He patted his lap invitingly as he arched an eyebrow.

At this moment, both Seras and Integra noticed how odd it was to be able to see the vampire's eyes without glasses. His eyes gleamed as he waited for his Draculina to take a seat.

"Um, well, no thank you Master." Seras' blush appeared again as she forced her shadows to form a comfortable chair next to her Sire. She stole a glance at him and noticed that he looked slightly let down. _He shouldn't be a bloody pervert._

Turning his attention back to his Master, he finally replied to her question. "Yes, I was resting in the Police Girl's room." Integra bristled. "But don't worry. She didn't even know until she woke up." He grinned maliciously as he spoke.

"Well," Integra cleared her throat. "I'll be sure to have Vincent show you to your room before the sun rises." Alucard inclined his head and exhaled in response, folding his hands in his lap.

"Was there a mission you wanted us to go on, Sir?" Seras couldn't stand the tense silence in the office. _Somethings going on between Master and Sir Integra… But what?_

Integra's face lightened upon hearing the younger woman's voice. "Yes, Seras. It's a rather simple mission, but one that would be best taken care of by vampires." Seras smiled slightly, anticipating the violence that would take place later that night.

"If it's so simple, why not just send the Police Girl, and let me get some more sleep?" Her Master grumbled.

Exhaling, Integra turned her attention to Alucard. "Because, Alucard, surely you'd enjoy blasting a head or two off of some ghouls?" He smirked. "Further, I'd like to give you a chance to see how your fledgling has grown."

Seras cleared her throat in embarrassment. "Sir…"

Alucard turned towards his blushing Childe. "Hush now Seras." Her eyes widened as she looked at him. "I'm sure you've learned a trick or two since I've been gone." He smiled at her, teeth glinting with starlight. She returned a small smile of her own.

Integra felt the fire spark up again in her chest, and had the urge to shoot the grin off of her servants annoying face. "Let me explain the details to you both."

* * *

Alucard followed his Childe down the busy night-time street of Mid-Winter London. He gazed through his amber lenses at all the passing mortals. His fangs lengthened and his stomach growled in want. _What I wouldn't give to feel some poor fool's flesh tear beneath my teeth, bones crunch between my jaws, blood pour down my hands, the life drain from their veins. Ah, I can't wait._

Several people stared at the unusually tall goth man with the weird glasses and glowing gloves. He stared back.

Seras stopped in front of a glowing night club. Alucard took this as a chance to peer openly at the Draculina. He looked up and down her petite frame. The form-fitting violet dress she wore fell gracefully against her alabaster flesh, her hair – which she had grown out slightly since her Masters absence – was half tied up with a matching silk ribbon. There was a light sheen of glitter on her skin, giving her the appearance of shining in the moonlight. Around her neck, she wore a black velvet choker. _This woman makes everything alluring._ Her fishnet stockings went into her Hellsing uniform combat boots pulled the outfit together. He was practically purring by the time she turned to face him.

"This must be the place." She smiled at her master as she strolled back to him and looped an arm through his. "Well," she cooed. "Are you going to walk me in, or no?"

Alucard grinned after a moment, before leaning down to whisper in her ear. "Of course, Draga Mea. Follow me."

The couple walked up to the door, and Alucard had it opened with a flick of his shadows. Seras nudged him slightly for using his powers around humans, but he only chuckled in response. They entered a dark hallway, light with only glowing red floor-lights. At the end of the short hallway was a bouncer, standing in front of a velvet rope and large metal door.

* * *

 _This couple's even weirder than the one with the collar and chains!_ The bouncer watched the odd pair come closer. _Damn, that guy's even taller than me… His chick though, she's a small one, isn't she! Ooh, not only is she fun sized, she's also pretty busty too! Double the fun,_ the man chuckled to himself. _Just look at that size difference though… He must be twice her size._ The bouncer could now see the faces of the pair. _Woah! Twice her age, too! I wonder if she's some sort of gold-digger? She's too cute for a prostitute. That guy she's with is dressed like a pimp though._ The taller man was wearing a long red duster and a big pair of orange sunglasses, even in the black bouncer grinned as the small girl and her man came even closer. _Perfect view,_ he crooned to himself.

"Hi there," the small woman chirped to him.

The bouncer shifted. "Hello, love." He smiled his crooked smile at her, paying no attention to the growling man near her.

"My husband and I would like to go," the short blonde pointed towards the door, "inside, please." The bouncer looked to the intimidating man by her side.

 _This bloke's her_ _ **husband**_ _? No bloody way._ "I'm sorry miss, but this club is invitation only. Do you have one?"

The short woman shifted, and looked up to him sadly. "I'm afraid not, sir." She untangled her arm from her husband's and sashayed his way, her hips moving enticingly. She stood about an inch from the burly man as she pouted her lips. Her eyes seemed to bore into his soul. "Is there any way you could just," she stroked her chest and then his, "let us in anyway?"

 _I can't say no to this beautiful woman. I just can't. I won't. I need to let her in._ "Yes…" The bouncer's eyes had glazed over, and his voice was nothing more than a robotic monotone. In reality, he **couldn't** say no to the buxom blonde standing in front of him. Not that he realized that, of course.

So he leaned over, pulled back the velvet cord, and smiled idiotically at the woman grabbing her husband once more. He didn't even notice the man's snarl, or his abnormally large and sharp teeth…

* * *

Seras walked into the bustling club, Master locked in her grasp. She wore a proud smile as the progressed into the room.

"Did you see that, Master? I didn't even need you to do it for me." She was ecstatic, and a shot of adrenaline pumped through her undead veins as she thought about how impressed he must be.

Her happy thoughts were short lived, however. "You didn't have to act like such a tart, Police Girl." Seras stopped walking.

"Excuse me?" Warning drenched her words. _I'm going to rip his tongue out of his god damn mouth. How dare he?_ He turned to face her, and leaned down to whisper in her ear.

"It is perfectly possible to hypnotize an individual _**without**_ flaunting your body and touching yourself like a common back-alley _whore._ "

Fury brewed in every fabric of Seras' body. _**How. Dare. He?**_ Her eyes darkened dangerously as she yanked on her Master's tie to pull him down to her level. "At first, I thought you'd changed, but now I see that you haven't. You're still an arrogant fucking tosser, _**my Master.**_ _"_ She spat every word as if her un-life depended on it. "So fuck you. You shouldn't have even come back." Alucard's glasses had slipped down his face slightly when she pulled him down. His eyes stared into hers, unblinking. His eyes narrowed at her vulgar and disrespectful words.

He grabbed her hand and squeezed punishingly. "You'd do best to beg for my forgiveness, Seras." His voice came out in little less than a hiss. She turned her hand around to snap his wrist and growled in his ear.

"I'm doing the bloody mission myself. Get out." With the time she'd bought from breaking her Master's wrist, she walked away from him.

* * *

Walking through the crowd, Seras couldn't help but notice how many people in the club were moving in a… an odd way. _It's like the music is hypnotizing them._ She left her Master behind as she explored the dancefloor more, staring at the different people and their increasingly racy clothing. She was still upset at her Master and decided to head towards the bar. _Mayhaps I can get some information out of some of the drunks, or even the bartender. And,_ she paused in her mind, _maybe I can get my fill of some whiskey._ Seras wasn't a fan of drinking, per say, but when she did drink, she preferred the hard stuff. Vodka, rum, whiskey, absinthe. Anything with a sting, she loved. Even as a teenager, she'd been a sucker for hard liquor.

Sitting down, she ordered a scotch.

"Um," the bartender started. "Are you sure you're 18? You're pretty small." Upon looking her over, his eyes widened, as did his grin. "Well, not everything's small."

Seras grimaced and pulled her false ID card from her boot. After looking over the card, not even half as thoroughly as he had her body, he nodded and passed the card back to her. She sat and look over the crowd once more as she awaited her drink.

Bodies writhing and gyrating on partners, blood rushing to various body parts. Heartbeats mixing together in a delicious hum. The smell of anxiety, euphoria, pleasure, fear, and worry mixing in the air. But… Seras smelled something else in the air. _Rage?_ Was she smelling herself? _Regret?_ She knew that smell wasn't her. _I wonder who is holding onto their regrets here._ She looked around and found a guilty looking red-head. _I bet she's underage and snuck out while her parents were asleep._ So, Seras read her mind.

" _Oh man, if Mum wakes up and sees I'm gone, she's gonna call the cops on Jeremy again! Please let her stay asleep,_ _ **please!**_ _"_

Satisfied, if only a bit guilty at intruding in on the young girl's thoughts. She spun back around in delight as the bartender finally arrived with her scotch.

"You sure you can handle this, honey?" Seras' eyes narrowed at the mention of such a cliché name.

"Oh Mister, you don't even know." Seras picked up the glass and downed the fiery liquid in two seconds flat. With the bartender both surprised and impressed at the small blonde's vigor, she decided to milk some information from him. "But, you _might_ know about something else." She straightened up in the seat as the man hummed in question. "I was wondering if you might know if a man named Free was here?"

"A man named… Free?"

"Mhm."

The man seemed to ponder the name for a moment, feeling it on his tongue to search for any memories of the man. A chord struck somewhere, and he brightened as he answered. "Oh! You must mean Mr. Freeman! Yeah," he chuckled, "He owns this place. He usually spends the night down stairs."

Seras' brows furrowed. _That can't be. I don't smell any ghouls…_ "Are you positive?"

"Yes ma'am! Kinda creepy though, so I'd advise that a cute girl such as yourself stays away from him." He winked subtly and Seras cringed. It wasn't that this man was unattractive. Quite the opposite, in actuality. The man was about Seras' age (30-something), and was well built. Just not Seras' type.

 _My type must be undead, arrogant, and crazy._ Seras locked eyes with an older man at the opposite end of the bar, before the man caught the bartender's attention. Once the bartender returned, Seras spoke her thanks and ordered a few more drinks before heading down to the basement.

* * *

She had to ask around a bit to find the entrance, but she did. Seras stumbled in her boots, tripping on the air. She felt woozy. Light-headed. _But I only had like, 5 drinks! How could I be drunk already?_ Her senses felt dulled and the clubbed spun a bit. The pounding music rang through her cerebellum, and she held the sides of her head to try and block the noise. She finally made it to the door and found it to be locked. The quickly shifting club lights were blinding her, but she managed to break the lock on the door.

Stumbling down the dark stairs, she silently thanked whatever God there may be for the absence of light. However, her vampiric senses had seemingly disappeared. _What's going on? Where's Master? Didn't he come back home yesterday? I need him._ Suddenly, she remembered what Alucard said to her at the beginning of the night and felt conflicting emotions. _Screw that bastard! But… I hope he didn't leave me. I'm scared. Well, not scared. Am I?_ Seras blinked back the tears that were welling in her eyes and drew her gun.

"Come out… you nassssty… freaks," the slur in her speech surprising her.

"My darling girl… Are you having some trouble?" A man's voice rang out of the darkness of the basement.

"In the name of the… _somethingorother_ …. Go to Hell." Seras shot her gun blindly before collapsing as he heard the voice chuckle.

"What a delicious body you have, my dear. I can't wait to rip it apart." He laughed louder this time.

 _Master… please. Help me._


	9. Club Drugs:part 2

_**Ferne's Thoughts:**_ My mind i k.

 _*** I don't own Hellsing… yet. ***_

* * *

Alucard watched as Seras walked away from him. He should have gone after her, or forced her to stop walking. But he was in… Shock? No, awe was more like it. He was in awe that his previously shy little fledgling had the gall to speak to him in such a way. _It seems things really have changed since I've been gone. Seras certainly takes after her Master, doesn't she?_ He ran his gloved fingers through his hair and took off his glasses. Rubbing his eyes, he sighed. "Perhaps I should have held my tongue." Alucard narrowed his eyes as he watched Seras disappear into the crowd. "I'm still going to have to punish her for her insolence."

"Ooh, I'd like to be punished by you, big boy!" A slurring feminine voiced cooed from behind the Nosferatu and he turned his attention to it.

He arched an eyebrow as he looked down at the inebriated mortal. "Is that so?" He eyed the scantily clad woman hungrily. He could smell her blood, and although it reeked of alcohol, her pulse tempted his fangs. His gaze traveled from her long legs to her makeup streaked face. He took a step towards her and placed his hand on the back of her head, pulling her closer to him. When there was no more space between the two, and he could feel her writhing against his chest, he leaned down to her face.

With their noses less than an inch away, he spoke, never breaking eye contact. "So you'd like to have every bone in your pathetic body shattered, the flesh shredded, the blood drained from your veins, your spirit ripped and crushed, your tongue torn from between your lips, and then, while your body is bloodied and ragged, how about I impale you with your own cracked bones?" Every word was purred at the young woman as she paled with every syllable. She trembled and whimpered in his grasp. "No? What a pity." As soon as Alucard's grasp left, the girl ran and stumbled out of the club's doors. The sting from his gloves faded and he turned his attention back to the mission at hand.

 _The target is a maggot named 'Free'. Rumor has it that he's been running this club as a ploy to create ghouls and satisfy his bloodlust._ Alucard wasn't familiar with the name of the vampire, so he assumed the man was a low-grade peasant – no real lineage, no respect, no morals, and refused to obey the laws. _Pathetic._

* * *

Alucard traveled swiftly through the crowd, noticing the ratio of undead to living. There seemed to be at least a dozen vampires in the club, while there were at least 100 humans. Nearly everybody seemed to be drunk or under the influence of… something. Alucard focused his senses, following the faint scent of rotten ghouls. He came to a large metal door, much like the entrance to the club. He could hear voices and moans coming from deep inside. _This must go to the basement. I wonder what's down there._ Alucard chuckled as he phased through the door.

He found himself in pitch black. However, thanks to his vampiric abilities, he saw the carpeted stairs as easily as in daylight. He followed the moans down to another set of metal doors. He phased through them just as easily. Walking slowly forward, he found himself in a large room, lit with black-lights. The purple-tinted room was barren, save for a chair in the middle of it.

Strolling up to it, Alucard saw that it was bolted to the ground and had constraints on the arms and legs. He smelled the remnants of blood all over the room. _Blood and putrid death. Ghouls must be close._ He left his study of the chair, and walked over to the next door. His shadows opened it and the heavy stench of decay hit him. He took a deep breath and grinned. Pulling out his Jackal, he strolled past the doors, closing them behind him.

* * *

Seras felt her body being lifted and for a moment, could only think one thought. _What if they see my arm…?_ A petty thought, she knew, but Seras had taken extreme precaution in covering her arm. With her gloves, and the leather jacket she wore, nobody noticed. But what if somebody saw it now? Seras tried to open her eyes, but all she saw was a blur of her surroundings. The man was still laughing, an evil, unsettling laugh.

"W…What's going…. On?" Her words slipped from her mouth in breathy groans and she felt the arms around her tighten. She bared her teeth, only to elicit a hearty cackle from the man.

"Don't bother trying, love. You might be a vampire, but I'm a stronger one. I'm also a smarter one." She tried to shuffle out of his grasp only to be crushed slightly by his strength. She heard her bones crack under the pressure. "I used the highest strength medical sedative, and had my friend at the bar pop 'em in your drinks." He hummed contently. "I just needed to have you. You smell so sweet. I bet you taste delicious." He leaned into Seras' ear and purred. "I bet you _feel_ even more delicious though."

Seras felt hot tears stinging her face as he cackled once more. "I'll kill…you." She was trying to fight the drugs pumping through her system. She heard a creak and a door shut behind them. Suddenly, she was enveloped in a violet haze and flung roughly in some sort of chair. She felt her wrists and ankles being tied down. _No, no! He's going to kill me! I'm going to die! Help me! Where am I? What does he want to do to me? I can't escape, I can't get out, I've failed. I've failed Hellsing. I've failed Sir Integra. I've failed… I've failed Master. I'm such an idiot._ She tried tugging her legs out of the constraints.

"It's no use, little dolly! You're stuck. I've _**won.**_ " He cackled in insanity. " _ **Nobody**_ can defeat me, **nobody!** " He continued laughing as he moved away from the drugged Seras Victoria.

A voice chirped in her mind as she started to sob. " _Ma Cher_!" She didn't pay it any mind. " _Seras! Seras, listen to me. You need to calm down and focus. You can get out._ _ **Listen**_ **.** " Seras quieted down and breathed calmly. " _Your arm_."

 _My arms are tied down._

" _No, Seras. Your shadows. If you focus on them, you can get out. Do it, now!"_ Seras' eyes widened as she came to some of her senses. She focused her energy on her shadow arm. Her mind strained against the drugs, but she kept pushing.

Her left arm shifted into a wriggling mass of black shadow as she focused. The shadows erupted from the constraint and flowed around her like a breeze. Seras pushed harder, harder, harder, _**harder.**_ Her shadows surrounded her and she faded away from the chair. She floated in her power for several moments, until she heard a man's voice.

"Huh? Where'd that bitch go?" He was yelling in shock. As she sat in her power, she heard muffled gunshots nearby. She smelled rancid blood. Her senses were coming back as she fought against her body. She phased back into view of the man and spoke.

"I told you I'd kill you, didn't I?" Her vision was still blurry and hard to make sense of.

She saw two of the same men grin the same crazy grin. They raised an arm and held a silver gun in their hands. "I've got your gun. What will you do now?" Seras laughed at the absurdity of the question. She cackled in a way reminiscent her Master and shocked the man/men. "What? What's so funny?"

Seras stopped laughing. "You have my gun, hmm?" Her shadows took the form of a large scythe. "Well soon, the Devil will have your soul." Seras charged at the man with unsteady movements as he shot at her.

Bullets flew past Seras' shoulders, through her hair, and some hit her body. As the bullets pierced her flesh, Seras' grin only widened. She took on the form of a crazed animal. She sliced and jumped at the man as her familiar cheered her on inside her mind. Finally, a bullet flew through her eye and she stopped for a moment. She heard a door open, but she kept her gaze on the target. He stared at her with wide eyes, an animal waiting for slaughter. He fell to his knees and started crying, begging for mercy.

Seras, bloody and twitching only grinned wider and spoke, barely above a whisper. "Nothing can save you now." As soon as the last syllable was spoken, her shadows tore into the crying freak, splitting him in half. Blood, gore, and ash rained down upon the room and Seras licked at the spots that fell on her face. Unable to stand any longer, she fell to her knees as her shadows writhed around her. "Target… Silenced." Seras' vison went black as she felt something catch her falling body.

* * *

"And just w _hat_ is wrong with her?"

"Well, aside from being undead? There was an extremely high dose of Flunitrazepam in her system." A pause. "Actually, the dose was twice the lethal amount. Plus with the added alcohol, the combination would've killed any human. Lucky she's already dead, eh?"

Integra looked over to the vampire standing in the corner of the room. "And how did you allow this to happen, Alucard?" She was livid. _Seras could've been seriously hurt, or taken advantage of, and this bastard didn't even step in?_ The man raised his gaze from the floor.

"I wasn't aware." Integra's eye flashed to his face in anger.

"You _weren't aware?_ " She shouted towards the elder Nosferatu. "You _weren't aware_ that Seras, your fledgling, the girl you want s _o badly_ was dying?" Alucard's eyes narrowed.

"She wasn't dying. She never gave up. Seras fought." Integra growled in anger before throwing her hand in the air. "And she eliminated the target, my Master."

"Yes, yes. But _why_ did this," she pointed towards the unconscious Draculina laying in the bed, "happen? You had to have known. If you two were together, as was the idea." Alucard shuffled a bit before looking away from his Master.

"We weren't." Integra stiffened.

"What?"

"We weren't together. Seras threw a fit over something and stormed off after we entered the club. There was nothing I could do without causing a scene… Sir Integra." The woman huffed.

"And you didn't even bother to keep an eye on your Childe?"

"No. I went to complete the mission. Isn't that what you wanted me to do?" Alucard's tone was drowning in sarcasm as he sneered at his Master.

The attending doctor Integra had called in to examine her sleeping agent had taken the hostility between the two individuals as an excuse to escape the basement room and run as fast as they could.

Integra walked over to Alucard. He peered down at her. "Do you feel no guilt?"

The two were locked in a staring contest of sorts until there was a knock at Seras' door and a wide-eyed Vincent walked in.

"Oh, uh, I apologize for the interruption, Sir." Integra moved away from the vampire and over to Vincent.

"It's quite alright, Vincent. What is it?" Vincent looked over to the smirking vampire and then to the sleeping Draculina.

"I heard a commotion about Miss Victoria. Why is she asleep so early? It's only 3 o'clock!" He shuffled over to her and kneeled down, placing the back of his hand on her forehead. "Is she sick?" Alucard chuckled and looked away.

"No, Vincent. I assure you, she doesn't have a cold. She _is_ dead after all." Integra smiled at the blushing butler. "She was drugged on assignment tonight." Vincent gasped. Suddenly, he stood and dashed toward Alucard.

"You. This is your fault."

"Me?" Alucard raised his hand to his chest, feigning insult.

" **You.** Seras has never been in an incident like this while on a mission. Until you show up." Vincent was fuming, snarling in the elder man's face.

"You'd do best to back away, boy." Alucard's voice was silky, flowing through the close space between the two men.

"Back down, the both of you."

"But Integra, I'm not even doing anything!" Alucard cooed with false surprise. Vincent stepped away, keeping his gaze on the man. "Now, Vincent, you may stay if you wish. Unless you have other duties at the moment, of course."

"No Sir, I'm finished for the night." Brown eyes still locked on crimson.

"Well, then I'll be off to bed now." She turned her back to the men before speaking once more. "Oh, and Alucard. Use your best judgement, please."

"I always do, my Master." Integra chuckled humorlessly and left the men behind.

 _I sincerely hope nobody dies tonight. Well… Maybe I could deal with Alucard going away again._ She laughed as she made her way through the winding basement halls.


	10. Close

_**Ferne's Thoughts:**_ Ooh, story's getting action packed! I hope you all enjoy this chapter. Unchained is getting more and more fun to write, every word. Also, a **warning.** This chapter has some explicit and graphic content in it, so read at your own risk.

*** _I do not own Hellsing, but I do own an ungodly amount of unread books. Do any of you do that? You buy tons of books, only to have them collect dust? I do. Happy reading! ***_

* * *

Alucard glared at Vincent as the butler sat next to Seras. His fangs elongated at the thought of ripping the man apart. He snarled when Vincent kissed his fledgling's forehead. The butler jerked towards him.

"Do you have a problem?" Alucard's hands balled into fists at his side.

"Perhaps I do." His response was a snarl at the young man.

"Well," Vincent stood once more, "how about you tell me what your problem is, so I may _fix_ it, sir?" Vincent sneered at Alucard, who for once, had a straight face. But his eyes were filled with danger.

"My problem?" Alucard chuckled at the audacity of the man in the room with him. "My problem, Vincent, is that you seem to think that my fledgling is up for the taking. You seem to think that you have a right to be close to my fledgling, to touch my fledgling, and to hold my fledgling." Alucard walked to Vincent and grabbed him by his collar. "You, however, do **not.** " He bared his teeth. "Seras is **mine."** _How dare this little boy think he can touch my Childe? I should rip him apart… as a warning._ Vincent put his hands on Alucard's gloved ones and pulled out of his grasp, choking slightly.

"Once again, Alucard, Seras does not belong to you." Alucard's crimson gaze narrowed.

"I made her."

"And she hates you for it!" Alucard bristled.

He hesitated a moment before replying. "You lie."

"I speak the truth. Seras hates you for turning her into a monster. She despises you for it." Alucard turned his gaze to Seras as she shifted in her drug induced sleep.

Silence laid in the air, thick as smoke. "Even if she did, I wouldn't care."

"Oh, no?" Vincent cocked his head, sure his little lie had struck a nerve somewhere inside the count.

"No. It was her choice."

"But was it really?" Vincent was trying his damnedest to upset the vampire, and seemed to be winning, judging by the silence in the room. Alucard's eyes had closed now, and he sighed deep.

"You know nothing." Vincent was readying his rebuttal as Seras moaned.

"What…? Where am I?" Her voice was muffled and slurred. She sat up, rubbing her eyes.

Vincent rushed back to her side as there was a shift in the air. "Ah, finally! She's awake. Mon dieu, I'd thought she'd never open her eyes." Pip was standing near Alucard as he appeared. Upon noticing the energy pulsating from the Nosferatu, he jumped slightly. "Eh, Mister Alucard? What's the matter with you?" He thought about poking the giant, but decided not to at the growl that emanated from his lips.

Alucard's eyes followed Vincent back to the drowsy Seras. " **Do not touch her!** " His booming voice echoed in the stone room, startling everybody and waking Seras fully.

* * *

"Master?" Seras stared in disbelief at her Master. His eyes were filled with fire, and he had his gun in his hand, aimed at Vincent. Pip started whispering French curse words in shock. Seras scrambled out of bed and in front of her Sire. "Please, Master, calm down! What's the matter?" Seras looked between the two men once more before gently grasping her Masters hand and pulling his gun down. "Master… Look at me, please." Alucard obeyed. As he looked into her eyes, Seras saw something change. She noticed the flickers of rage cool down, and a hint of something more gentle take place in his gaze. "What's going on?" She kept her hand on his, though it wouldn't make a difference if he decided he wanted to shoot somebody.

His eyes flicked back and forth between his Childe and the butler. "It isn't important, Police Girl." He pulled his hand from hers roughly and placed his gun back in his jacket. Seras briefly felt hurt before recalling what had just happened.

"Then why were you angry?" Alucard chuckled and sat on her bed.

"I'm not angry in the slightest." _I'm not angry. I'm furious._ "But, if you keep pestering me, I will be. And don't think I've forgotten what you said to me, Childe." Seras' eyes widened as she recollected the night's events.

Vincent stood in the same place, breath jagged and eye twitching. "How do you feel, Miss Victoria?" He straightened his tie and cleared his throat, not looking in the direction of the clearly hostile vampire. Seras rubbed her eyes and ruffled her hair.

"I feel like I was shot in the head."

"You were." Alucard's amusement wasn't even trying to be hidden. Seras glared at him.

"Well then it makes sense, doesn't it? Anyway, thank you for the concern, Vincent, but I'm sure I'll be fine. I just need to rest." Vincent nodded.

"I agree. The past few nights have been rather stressful, haven't they?"

"Yes, but, I've been through worse. I guess I just have to watch my drinking," the Draculina chuckled.

Vincent's face became serious. "You don't think that it will become an issue once again, do you, Miss Victoria?"

"Huh? Oh, no, I was only joking, Vincent. I'm fine." Alucard's eyebrows were raised in curiosity.

"Does my little Police Girl have a drinking problem?" Alucard's grin was face-splitting.

"No! Master, I do not," Seras growled at him. A mere 'hmm' was his reply.

Vincent smiled at the blushing girl. "Well, now that you're feeling better, I suppose I'll take my leave." Pip had taken a seat on Seras' vanity, and Alucard had now leaned back in her bed. Seras gave the young man a cheery, but bleary eyed smile as she told him good-bye.

After he left, there was a heavy silence in the room.

* * *

"Master, why do you hate him?" Alucard looked to his fledgling as she leaned against the door.

"How and why I feel for somebody is none of your business, Police Girl." Seras sighed as she slumped down and sat on the floor.

"But you've picked a fight with him twice now, and you've only been back for two days." Alucard laughed heartily at her whining tone.

"Give me more credit than that! I haven't picked a fight with anybody. It's not my fault if somebody invokes my wrath." Seras gasped.

"But Master, he didn't do anything! He really is a sweet person. I don't understand why you don't like him." She kept exhaling deep breaths. She mumbled something into her chest.

"What was that, Police Girl?" Alucard leaned up on his elbows to peer more easily at his fledgling.

"I said, you liked Walter, and he was a filthy traitor!"

Alucard growled. "Watch yourself, Seras."

"Get out of my bed." Alucard's lips pulled back into a teasing smirk.

"No, I don't think I will. It's quite comfortable." Seras stood and walked over to her reclining Master and grabbed his hand. He jumped in her grasp but didn't tell her to let go. She coiled her fingers between his, and leaned onto the bed with one knee.

"You really think so?" Alucard smelled the blood on her uniform. She leaned closer to him. He leaned into her as well.

"Mmm." He could feel his fangs scraping his lip.

"Do you want to know what might be even more comfortable, Master?" Alucard gave one slow nod, never breaking eye contact with his beautiful Childe.

In one quick movement, Seras pulled her Master off of her bed and threw him to the ground. She heard bones snap and her Master hiss. Seras and Pip erupted into a fit of laughter as Alucard got up from the ground and straightened his spine.

"You, Seras Victoria, are an idiot." Abruptly, her Master had her pinned to the bed, with her face pushed against the mattress. She could feel her bones protesting the pressure he was putting on them, until finally, they started cracking. Seras squeaked as her Master laughed cruelly. "If you wanted to break some bones, all you had to do was ask." Seras squirmed in his grasp, causing him to tighten his grip on her wrist. More bones broke. "Oh, what was it you called me earlier? Ah, that's right." He moved in close to her ear and growled. "You called me an ' _arrogant fucking tosser,'_ right?" He laughed as he nipped her ear. "Are you ready to beg yet?" He twisted her arm up higher, dislocating her shoulder and tearing her muscles. Seras screamed in agony, feeling pins and needles in her nerves. "Is that a yes? I need to hear it, Seras." Seras couldn't handle the crushing grip any longer. She pulled her head back swiftly, hitting her Master. She repeated the action until the back of her head felt wet with his blood. He let go of her, and she scrambled to the edge of the bed, by the wall.

Alucard's laugh grew louder as the seconds ticked by. Seras watched in fearful anticipation and morbid curiosity as his head, which had been partially caved in and cracked open, seemingly sewed itself back together. Her own arm was slowly healing as well. She felt her bones fuse back together and the flesh that broke, become whole again. Alucard's laughter stopped abruptly. He eyed Seras, a smile growing on his lips. He took step, after agonizingly slow step towards the girl. "Oh Seras," the words came from his mouth in almost a purr. "You're not trying to get out of your punishment, are you? Now I'm going to have to make it worse!" His eye was twitching.

 _Oh God, he looks crazy! Is he going to kill me? No, he wouldn't. Would he? He looks really good right now… Seras! Stop it!_ Her thoughts were spinning around in her head. Finally, he reached her bed. Seras squeaked again, causing him to smile wider. His eyes narrowed and lit up as he seemingly got an idea.

He crawled over to where Seras was crouched and leaned in close. She could feel his warm breath crawl over her face. He reached towards her neck with his hand, and popped open the buttoned collar of her uniform. Seras shivered as the cool air caressed her previously warmed flesh. Alucard adjusted himself to be sitting in front of Seras, on his knees. He cocked his head at her as she moved closer to him. Her eyes were open wide, trying to watch his every action. Her shadows covered various bits of her body, like armor, not knowing what her Master was planning on doing.

"Master?" He placed a finger to his lips, shushing her. He reached out towards her once more. He ran his gloved fingers through her hair, the stroked her cheek. Placing his hand on her shoulder, he gently pushed her down.

The runes on his gloves burned and singed his flesh punishingly, but he paid it no mind. Seras gave a quiet, confused moan as he laid her head on the pillow. He stroked her neck and brushed his lips against her cheek. _So tempting… But now is not the time. She needs to learn._ Once again, he came close to her ear and spoke, this time smooth and silky. "Seras. This _**will**_ hurt." He brushed his tongue along her earlobe before violently tearing into her neck.

Seras screamed in agony once more. She felt his fangs break through her skin and dive deep into her veins. Fire spread through her body as her blood was forced out. The pain was unimaginable. Not a single coherent thought ran through her mind as Alucard continued to drink from her. The only thing she could think was that it didn't hurt this badly the first time he bit her. The fire forced its way deep into every nerve. Suddenly, all the fire subsided and became cooling ice, eliciting a moan from Seras, unlike the screams of pain. Waves upon waves of pleasure came over her, replacing the agony. Seras quivered and writhed on the bed, tangling her fingers in her Master's wild hair. One of her hands trailed down his back, feeling the soft fabric of his crimson coat. The waves of pleasure kept getting more and more intense, causing her to grip Alucard's clothing between her fingers, claws digging into his back. She pulled his hair a bit, and thought she heard a muffled moan against her neck. Her hips started rolling, no matter how hard she willed them to stop. She rubbed against Alucard's leg until concentrated euphoria washed over her entire body, sighing light moans between jagged breaths. He placed a hand on her waist, gripping her tightly – but not punishingly. He stroked her abdomen with his thumb, lightly, as she quivered and writhed beneath him.

Pulling his teeth out, he sucked and kissed the wound, licking any excess blood away. Still, Seras moaned and gyrated, not yet recovered from the ecstasy she had felt moments earlier. He nuzzled into the spot he had just bitten, and looked up at her. Her eyes we shut and a blush crept over her cheeks. Her lips were slightly parted, fangs glistening. Smudges of blood were on her lips and teeth, from biting her lip. Her chest heaved with every deep, jerking breath. She shone with sweat, _gorgeous,_ her hair messy from rubbing against the pillow. He reached up to stroke it, and her eyes opened slowly. She looked at him.

His face, covered in her blood. His hair, wild. Her hand had fallen from it mere seconds earlier. His fangs were long and blood-stained. His eyes, _oh, those gorgeous eyes,_ were riddled with lust and need. She felt a tug deep inside her chest as she stared at his lips. God, how she wanted to taste his lips. Suddenly, a cool hand passed over her cheek, bringing her back to reality. "M… Master? What-"

"Hush," he interrupted. "Don't speak, Seras." He adjusted his body to be cradling hers.

"But I-"

"No. It's time to sleep." Seras turned and pressed her face to his chest. She looked back at his face, only to notice that all of her blood was now gone from it. With closed eyes, he spoke. "Now you understand not to disrespect me, right, Police Girl?"

She felt something shift and her blankets were upon her, along with her Sire's hand in her hair. His glove felt hot, but she didn't pay any attention to it. Her room turned black, dark enough for vampiric slumber. Soon, she was almost asleep. Until a deep voice whispered in the darkness.

"Drink my blood, Seras."


	11. Trainwreck

_**Ferne's Thoughts:**_ Wow! Last chapter was nice, huh? I thought so. I blame the suggestiveness of the chapter on me watching the movie Moebius. (Don't look up that film unless you're a fan of twisted dark movies and/or are attached to your penis. Just sayin.)

 _*** I don't own Hellsing. I'm a teenager, I don't even own myself yet. ***_

* * *

Seras' eyes shot open. She must've misheard him. "I'm sorry…?" He shifted against her, pulling her chest closer into him.

"Drink my blood, Seras. Become a true Nosferatu. Free to walk the night alone, be free from your bond to me. Become a Master instead of a servant." He inhaled deeply, smelling her blood and perfumes. "Become equal to me, Seras."

Seras didn't know what to say. _No, I'm not ready. I'm not ready to be alone. Not again. Not when he just came back. I need him!_ The seconds passed tensely as she turned the thoughts over in her head. Her Master was actually patient, awaiting her answer. Finally, she cut through the silence. "No." His body tensed against hers. His nails dug into her back, where his hands lay. She could feel them as sharply as if he wasn't even wearing gloves. His hands still radiated heat against her uniform.

"No?" The words came out as a genuine question, unlike his usual sarcastic questions. "What do you mean, no?" She pushed away from him slightly, enough to face him. His eyes glowed through the darkness. _Mine probably do too,_ Seras thought.

"I… I'm not ready, Master. I'm sorry." Alucard clucked his tongue. There was a sharp inhale as Seras felt the hands on her back shift and move to grasp her chin. Her Master leaned in close to her lips.

"You're not ready? Ready for what, exactly… _**Police Girl?**_ " She could feel his bottom lip softly rubbing against hers as he drawled to her.

His thumb caressed her cheek. She felt tears threatening to pour from her eyes as she remembered how she felt without him. " _I was so alone. I was so confused, with every new skill I learned. I didn't know if I was normal! I didn't know what to do, and I was scared. I was alone, and scared, and I just didn't know what to do! I'm not ready, Master. I'm not ready to be all alone again. I_ _ **need**_ _you. I don't want to have to leave you. I just… don't want to be alone. I love you."_ Her words came out like machine-gun fire, faster than she could stop. As she thought it, it poured out of her mouth, and only after it all came out did she realize what she'd said to her Sire. As the words poured, her tears finally broke through the reservoir of her tightly bound (and quickly unraveling) strength. _**What did I just do? How could I say that to him? Oh my god!**_ She felt his entire body tense and move back slightly. His hand dropped from her face as he sat up in her bed.

"No." He shook his head, over and over, as if trying to make the words go away.

"No?" Seras saw him more clearly now, as he sat at the foot of her bed, trembling. His gloves glowed as brightly as his eyes, in the dark.

"No. You can't love me. You **don't** love me." His voice cracked and Seras thought she could see blood-tears on his cheeks, but suddenly, the image was gone. "Nobody can. Nobody has, and nobody ever will." Seras could feel his shadows filling the room and he stood up. " **Especially** you."

Seras flinched slightly as Alucard stood over where she was sitting. He kneeled down and wiped the tears from her cheeks and sighed. She watched him as he phased through the door and his shadows disappeared. Slumped over, she cried herself to sleep in a deep haze of confusion and pain.

* * *

As Alucard strolled out of his fledgling's bedroom and stood in the hallway, he tried to force the tears back. He refused to let anybody see him in such a pathetic position. He leaned against the stone wall and sighed. _How could she say something like that? How could she be so idiotic as to say she loves… me? After all I've done…_ He bit his lip and a metallic rush filled his mouth. He swallowed the blood and turned away from her door. Even though he didn't quite know where his room was, he phased in and out of every room he came across until he found one with his coffin in it.

 _So Integra kept it? I would have thought she'd use it as firewood. Or perhaps Seras made her keep it._ At the thought of **her** , his body ached. He studied the crimson stains on his glove. _Seras' tears..._ His shadows absorbed the sweetness from his fingertips. He sat on the lid of his ebony coffin, and clenched his fist. After a few moments of both mental and outward silence, he decided to go to sleep.

He lay in his coffin, feeling his energy slowly being renewed by the spirit of birthplace soil. His eyes closed, and he tried to will his mind to calm, but it wouldn't. He was stuck in an argument with his inner-most desires, his true feelings.

" _ **What was tonight?"**_

" _A mess."_

" _ **No. You bit her."**_

" _She disrespected me."_

" _ **You let her feel pleasure. It wasn't a punishment."**_

" _I didn't like hearing her scream. Her voice can be so jarring. It's unbearable."_

" _ **Ah, so you made her moan instead?"**_

" _It was nothing."_

" _ **You enjoyed it."**_

" _Of course I did. Her blood is the sweetest I've tasted in centuries."_

" _ **You liked giving her pleasure."**_

" _And if I did? What man wouldn't want to give her anything he could?"_

" _ **You want her. And yet, you push her away. You want her to be by your side for the rest of time, and yet you question why she wishes to stay by yours?"**_

" _I think I'm done with this introspection bullshit now."_

" _ **She loves you. She said it, and you can feel it. Why can't you just let her love you?"**_

" _She does not love me. She is confused. It doesn't matter. I want her, and I will take her- love or not. She is mine."_

" _ **Then let her love you. What are you afraid of?"**_

" _I am not afraid!"_

" _ **Liar."**_

Alucard fell into deep sleep after battling himself on his feelings.

* * *

"She did what?" Integra stood in her office, angrily puffing on her cigar. Vincent stood, shifting in place nervously.

"Miss Victoria went to the roof in broad daylight," Vincent seemed to be choking on the words. "Drunk, Sir."

"And who found her? Who got her to come down?" Integra could feel her heart flopping deeper into her chest, aching with worry.

"One of the soldiers noticed her as he stepped outside for some reason or another. He looked up and saw her, standing in the sun, burning. He called to her, but she said something about…wanting to feel the sun again."

Integra closed her eyes as she pinched the bridge of her nose. "Is that so?"

"Yes Sir. I haven't had a moment to speak with her myself yet."

"Let me talk to her, where is she?" Vincent started walking with the aged woman down to the library.

"The library, Sir. She insisted on it, for some reason."

"Well at least there aren't any windows for her to and get a sun tan from," Integra muttered as she smoked.

* * *

When they finally reached the library, Integra asked Vincent to stand outside while the two women spoke.

"Seras?" Integra walked into the dimly lit library, the smell of old books and tea lingering in her senses. "Seras, are you in here?" She saw foot move out from under a pile of books, before Seras was birthed from the pile. "What on earth are you doing?" Integra walked up to the hissing Seras with a look of humored confusion on her features.

Seras got up fully from the pile, and Integra could see the burns enveloping her once clear flesh. Her body was covered in them, head to toe. Blood stained her flesh from when it poured from her wounds. Seras was wearing only her night-gown, which was covered in red spots. Upon noticing Integra's lingering gaze, Seras' shadows enveloped her body and became a shadow version of her uniform. "Hello, Sir Integra." Seras' gaze fell to the floor. "My skin burned, and the pages of the books were cold. So I put them on me… To… You know… Cool down." Seras fidgeted and rubbed her singed flesh tenderly. Her eyed were dark, muddled with pain and confusion.

 _My God. How could she do this to herself?_ Integra walked over to one of the several couches in the large library and sat, motioning for Seras to join her. Seras got there and made a cushion of sorts out of her shadows, which writhed beneath her in flicking tendrils. "Why did this happen, Seras. Why would you do this?" Seras didn't answer, she simply looked away. "Did… Did something happen last night? To make you want to drink?" Seras yelped in surprise at Integra's question, eyes wide with shock.

"Oh, no! No, Sir! I mean, nothing happened last night." Integra could now hear the faint slur of her words.

"Do you really expect me to believe that?" The woman paused while watching the blonde girl twiddle her (gloveless) thumbs. "You got drunk on your last mission, and you nearly jeapordized the whole thing. And now, you've been drinking again, and nearly killed yourself by standing in the blaring sun at 2 in the afternoon. What are you thinking?" Integra sighed as Seras maintained her silence. "Please, Seras. Talk to me." She placed a hand on Seras' thigh and she hissed in pain, causing Integra to pull the hand away.

"You can't do a bloody thing to help me, Sir." Integra was used to Seras getting upset and lashing out occasionaly, so she let the bite in her words slide.

"Well then explain things to me and I can _find_ somebody to help you."

There was a short silence between the two women before Seras place her head on Integra's shoulder. Gasping quietly, Integra leaned into the embrace before placing her hand lightly in Seras' hair, petting her a bit.

"I told him," Seras mumbled into Integra's chest.

"Told who what?"

"I told Master that… that I …"

"Oh, Seras. You didn't."

"I didn't mean to, it just slipped out! He told me to drink his blood so I could be a real vampire. But, I don't want to! I don't want to be alone, and I told him that! I told him how scared I was when he was gone, how alone, how confused. I told him that I needed him and then it just slipped out. I couldn't stop talking and he… and he…" Seras was sobbing bloody tears onto Integra's suit.

She felt anger rise up inside of her at the elder vampire for hurting the younger in such a way. She felt the need to protect the girl from him. She always had, but now a fire was risen from the sparks in her chest. "What did he say to you? Seras? You need to tell me." She struggled to get the words out as she felt Seras' pain.

"He said that I didn't. He-" she choked as she spoke. "He kept denying it. I couldn't tell if he was angry or sad or what, but he left. He just left me there. All alone, again. So I got up this morning and snuck into the kitchen. I grabbed a few bottles and went back to my room and drank them, obviously. I didn't mean to hurt myself, though. I just wanted to feel warm again. Integra, please don't make me see him tonight, please don't tell him how stupid I was." Integra laid her head on the trembling Draculina's and thought for a moment before speaking.

"I'll tell him not to try and contact you for as long as you want, Seras." Seras thanked the woman and wrapped her in a loose embrace, even though her flesh protested the action. The vampire reeked of alcohol and burned flesh, but Integra didn't stop her.

* * *

"My Master." Alucard phased into the dimly lit office to see his blonde Master standing by an open window, blowing her cigar smoke into the night breeze. "You wanted to see me?" He smirked at her as she turned around, anger making her eye glow. "Oh. Have I done something, _my Master?_ " His smirk became more devious.

"Sit."

"That's not very polite, Integra." Her eye twitched.

"Please." He obliged and sat in on of the two chairs. She turned around to face him fully, starlight bouncing off of the silver in her long hair. "It's about Seras."

His smirk faltered a moment, but remained. "Isn't everything?"

"Mm." She took short drag on her cigar before crushing it on the window pane. "You will be separated from her until further notice. That is all."

Alucard's eyes widened, then narrowed in anger. "I apologize, I believe I misheard you."

"No, I don't think you did, Alucard." He stood and walked over to his Master.

"You will not separate us."

"I've already decided. Besides, it was Seras who requested it. I simply agree that it's for the best at this point."

"At _what_ point, Integra?" His voice was becoming a loud growl. His shadows sparked out from underneath his feet.

"Not that it matters that much to you, but Seras is going through some issues right now."

"And just what issues are those, hm?"

Integra sighed and moved to sit in her desk chair. "Seras went outside in the sunlight today. Said she wanted 'to feel warm again'."

Alucard felt something drop in his chest and his body ached."That's idiotic. Why would she do that?"

"A lot has changed since you last knew her, Alucard. She's strong, but even the strongest people make a mess out of things sometimes. Now, she's caused herself no permanent damage, but she'll be staying back from any upcoming missions as she's recovering. Do you two still share a mental link? I haven't felt you prodding in _my_ mind since you've been back."

Alucard shook his head. "No, my strength hasn't come back fully yet. It's nice not having you yelling in my head at all hours of the day."

"Well then I don't have to worry about you trying to mentally contact her, now do I? As I said, you two are to remain separated until further notice. Now," she pulled a file from under an empty tea cup on her desk. "This is your mission for the night."


	12. Aftermath

_**Ferne's Thoughts:**_ Woah. Holy Hell, my brain is fried. I was a bit iffy on the plot of the last chapter, but my fingers wanted to type it! Thy will be done, yo. Even now, my brain feels like mush. Hellsing obsessed mush.

*** _I don't own Hellsing, but I own this story. ***_

* * *

Alucard cleared a path through the hordes of ghouls, the last remnants of a small village. Mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, even children had all been turned into moaning, brainless creatures. His guns blasted holes through the masses, and his grin widened. He didn't quite understand why, but killing them felt even better than the last time. Perhaps it was because he wanted to take his anger out on something. His anger towards Seras, for being _such an insufferable idiot,_ his anger towards Integra for _trying to take away what is rightfully mine,_ and himself for _hurting my darling Seras._

He shook that last thought away with the splatter of a ghoul's head underneath his boot. He could smell the target, a young woman who had slaughtered her whole village. _She smells of filth, hatred, and putrid impurity. Disgusting and pathetic._ Since there were reports of ghoul children, the target was more than likely a remnant from the FREAKs of Millennium, a chipped vampire without the supernatural abilities.

Alucard's memories from the past few nights flew around in his head as he thought about everything he could have said or done differently in regards to his fledgling. _Why do I even care? It's not my problem that the girl is a suicidal wreck. Perhaps she didn't want to live as much as I thought._ He lowered his gun slightly and shook his head before speaking aloud. "No. No, that's not right. My Seras is strong. It is me that causes her to break, isn't it?" A ghoul moaned in response, eliciting a chuckle from Alucard. "Yes, I suppose you're right. It _is_ me." Alucard pocketed his guns in exchange for his bare hands, and he ripped the ghoul's head apart, prying the rotting jaws apart and splattering the King's face in foul blood and ash. He licked it away.

After destroying all of the ghouls, he followed the scent of the target to an abandoned house, little more than rubble. Blood and gore littered the path leading up to it. _An arm here, a leg here, ooh, is that a finger? How tragic._ Alucard chuckled in response to his own morbid commentary.

A light sobbing came from inside the worn-down home. A light sobbing paired with the squishing of wet, bloody flesh. Alucard breathed deeply the scent of the slaughter before knocking on the cracked door of the shack. He heard a muffled gasp before light footsteps padded through a thick liquid. The door cracked open and he saw a timid flash of tanned flesh in the opening before a quiet voice rang out.

"Who are you?" The girl closed the door. Alucard knocked again, this time with the nose of his gun. She opened it. "Go away or I'll fucking kill you, asshole!" Alucard chuckled and placed his gun in the crack of the door before she shut it again. "What the…" Alucard pulled the trigger and shot the girl in the shoulder. The door flew open and he strode in, grinning at the young girl clutching her damaged shoulder. The girl turned to run, but slipped on the massive amount of blood and gore on the ground. She quickly flipped to see the man creeping up closer to her, wide grin plastered on his face. She crawled away, moving smoothly through the thick liquid. She saw a flash of red from behind his opaque amber sunglasses, and noticed the sharpness of his teeth. "You… You're… Alucard!" He stopped walking towards the girl, before waving his gun in the air in a dramatic bow.

"I see my reputation precedes me! How wonderful. So then you know why I'm here?" He licked his lips at the girl before returning his aim. The girl's eyes widened.

"But you're supposed to be dead! They all said you're gone! They all told me I only had to worry about that little blonde bitch!" Alucard stiffened and cocked his head. He stepped over to where she lay, her back now fully against both a corpse and a wall. He blocked her escape with his shadows and loomed over her. He put his gun away and placed his boot on her shin. She whimpered as he slowly added more pressure before leaning down in her face.

"Say." His boot ground further into her flesh and bone. "It." His hand wrapped around her throat. "Again." His teeth were bared as he spit the words towards the whimpering girl. A light sparked in the girl's eyes and she smiled. _Oh, what the fuck? He's gonna kill me anyway!_ Finally, her leg cracked and split under the force of his boot. He gripped her wrist tighter and pulled, effectively ripping her hand off. Her blood splattered onto his face and clothes, little spots dotting his lenses. His glasses disappeared and she could see his fury filled eyes. She wailed in agony as her flesh was torn and her bones snapped. Her screams turned to crazed giggles and he inched his face closer to hers. She stopped giggling and spoke to him, narrowing her eyes.

"Oh yeah, everybody knows about that psycho blonde whore of yours! With the big tits and the fucked up arm, yeah, we all know about her. Word on the street's that she drank some French guy's blood and now he lives inside of her, can talk to her an' shit! How's that feel for you, oh _great King?_ Tell me, do you think he watches when she fucks 'erself? Tell me one other thing- 've you tasted her pussy yet?" The freak grinned and cackled as Alucard's eyes became nothing more than fury, rage contorting his features.

He sunk his teeth into the girl's throat, jaws tearing her apart. With his right hand, he clawed through her abdomen, tearing and cutting her intestines. With his left hand, he pulled on her hair, forcing her head back to allow him better access to her throat. His teeth continued to chew and cut their way through muscle, sinew, veins and flesh like razor blades. Her screams became nothing more than forceful choking as he ripped her apart like some twisted doctor. He took his mouth from her neck and brought his right hand to his mouth, entrails in his grasp. He forced her head down to watch him devour her guts, blood pouring down his chin. Tears trailed down her blood splattered cheeks and pain became her features. He pulled her head down, breaking her neck but not killing her.

Standing, he used his shadows to clean himself, draining the crimson stains from his skin and clothing. Straightening himself out, he listened to the struggled choking and forced whimpers coming from the mass of writhing blood and gore. He smiled at her. He gave a small wave and turned around, walking slowly from the house of carnage. With a flick of his wrist, shadowy beasts erupted from all sided of the house, growling and licking their chops, staring at the hunk of living, pulsating meat. Alucard stopped walking at the door. "Fetch."

The hounds ran and dug into the freak, ripping every limb off, chewing on bones sucked clean of flesh. They ripped her to pieces, lapping at the blood that spilled onto the floor, snarling and yapping in joy for the meal. They used their claws to peel her open, allowing access to her inner most recesses.

Alucard strolled down the path, eyes towards the cloudy night sky, hands at his sides. His face was neutral, characteristic grin nowhere in sight. He listened to the chewing, snapping _of_ teeth and jaws, the quieting whimpers, the tearing of flesh and the cracking of bone. _What a beauteous symphony._

* * *

Back at Hellsing Manor, Seras was helping Vincent to various tedious tasks around the home. _Dust the books, wash the dishes, shine the brass, shine the silver, dust, mop, wash, wash, wash. Doesn't he do anything exciting? God, my skin bloody hurts! Last time I go out in the sun._ She handed Vincent a candelabra she'd just finished cleaning. _If_ _I ever feel like topping myself, I'll just steal one of Master's guns. Pew, pew! Dead Seras ahead!_ She giggled out loud, catching the butler's attention.

"My, my. I didn't know cleaning would be so funny to you, Miss Victoria!" Vincent smirked at the blushing girl as he placed the candelabra back in its original place.

"Sorry, Vincent. I was just thinking. Hey, what do you think of my Master?" Vincent stiffened in his spot, before turning his head to the girl. "You don't have to answer, I'm just curious." Seras hopped over to him and grabbed his hand to turn him towards her fully.

He cleared his throat. "To be honest? I don't like him." Seras seemed content with this answer as she let his hand go.

"Not many people do. Sometimes I wonder if I do."

"I think he's under the impression that I _want_ you." Seras bristled and shuddered at the words.

"Cor, you're like a brother to me! I can't even imagine." She was still slurring slightly.

Vincent huffed indignantly. "Shouldn't you be resting? The whole reason you lost to some petty drugs was because you've been neglecting your rest and your feeding." She sighed, tired of the lecture. "You're always too busy looking after your men, or Sir Integra. You need to look after yourself. You think you're invincible, don't you?" Vincent laughed.

"Well, I haven't died yet!" Seras laughed along with the butler.

They walked down the Manor, chatting and laughing and teasing each other. Vincent asked about why people call her 'Police Girl', and Seras told him the story. His eyes lit up, the gold flecks shining with each smooth laugh he let out. They made their way to the kitchen, and when Vincent turned his back, Seras snuck into the freezer and grabbed a blood bag, draining it. This went on for about twenty minutes. Seras had the faintest idea that Vincent knew what she was doing, but if he did, he didn't stop her. She could feel the blood healing her damaged body, her senses sharpening, and her brain starting to function back at the level she was used to. She sighed in relief of being able to feel like herself again, no childish outbursts or actions threatening to come out.

* * *

They finished up in the kitchen and walked down the stairs into the foyer. Seras heard two men talking in another language. _Is that French? Is that Pip? What?_ Whenever Seras was awake, she called on Pip and let him roam around the grounds, patrolling or amusing himself in other ways.

The pair walked around the corner to investigate the talking, to find Alucard and Pip deep in conversation. Alucard's back was turned toward Seras and Vincent, but Pip leaned around his broad shoulders and waved at the two, making the vampire turn around.

Alucard arched an eyebrow in Vincent's direction, but paid no mind to Seras. She frowned slightly at his lack of attention, but didn't say anything. He turned back to Pip. "Je te verrai une autre fois." He walked further down the hall before disappearing completely.

"How rude." Seras placed her hand on her hip and trotted over to her familiar. "Well? What were you two talking about, Captain Pip?" He chuckled, his cigarette in his mouth.

"Well well. Aren't you the curious one? Sorry, cheri, no can do! I don't talk and tell." He waved his finger teasingly in front of her nose. She pouted. "Besides," he pointed around the hall, "the walls may have eyes and ears." Seras sighed.

"Oh whatever. I was going back to my room anyway." She turned, leaving a chuckling Frenchman behind.

"You were? What a pity. I'd hoped you'd want to stay back and help me finish the rest of the work," Vincent announced, his voice overflowing with amusement.

Seras never stopped walking as she replied. "Oh, I'd love to Vincent, I really would, but I've got a heart-wrenching romance novel to finish reading!"

* * *

 **4 hours later.**

Seras lay on the floor, paperback book laying on her face. She felt a shift in the air as Pip arrived back in her room. The book lifted from her face, exposing her eyes to the harsh light in her room. She hissed in protest.

Pip went and sat on her bed, leaning his arms on his thighs and chin on his hands. "Do you want to know what me and Alucard were talking about?" Seras sat up, crossing her legs- also giving the Captain an easy view of her regulation cotton panties under her mini skirt. He smirked and she caught on, adjusting her position.

"Yes, I would very much like to know, thank you." He breathed in, slowly, not that he needed to- just out of habit.

"We were talking about you." Seras fidgeted a bit. _I knew it._ She smiled at him and he raised his eyebrows.

"What were you saying about me?"

"Oh, not much. Just how you're still so childish and overreact to things." He chuckled as she blushed and stood.

"I am **not** childish!"

"Oui, Seras, there's my point exactly. You start huffing and puffing anytime somebody criticizes you. I would've thought you'd gotten over it with how much Alucard used to tease you."

"Were you two really talking about that?" She sighed and sat on the bed next to her Familiar.

"Well, we weren't really talking about that. I just wanted to see if you'd make my point for me." He chuckled as she punched him in the shoulder. "He told me that people, vampires, they spread your name like the plague. They fear you, you! A small blonde bimbo who lets her Master nibble on her neck? Ha!" Seras paled at the mention of Alucard drinking her blood. "Oh, don't worry. I left as soon as you started moaning." Pip grinned and nudged her, teasingly. Although Pip was jealous of her night with her Master, he didn't voice the opinion. "Anyway, he was telling me all about how the target tonight knew about you. I said it was great that Little Seras was making a mark and name for herself, and he agreed. You're a lot like him. Yet so different." He ruffled her hair as she sighed and blushed. "How long are you going to avoid him, anyway?"

"Oh, I'm not sure Pip. I told him that I loved him and he didn't say it back. Do you think he's just going to forget? I've ruined our relationship."

"No you haven't."

"I have."

"Listen," he turned to face the girl. "He cares about you. Only you. _I_ think he loves you, even if Integra doesn't. Just don't mention it for a while, alright? Give him time."

"Time, huh?" Seras lit up as an idea popped into her head. She stood and started pacing. "I'll give him some time away from me to think over his feelings!"

"Not quite what I meant." Seras laughed evilly as she muttered a plan, looking absolutely insane to Pip. Suddenly, she stopped and turned to him.

"Six days."

"Quoi?"

"I'll stay away from him for six days! It's brilliant!" Pip rolled his eyes and chuckled as he got off of the bed.

"Go to sleep, Seras."

* * *

Alucard was listening to the muffled shouts coming from down the hall. _Doesn't she ever just shut up? She's always talking about something or other._ He was sitting in his chair, which he had found in another room, gathering dust.

"How disrespectful," he muttered to himself when he found it. "The chair is older than her lineage and she lets it collect dust."

Now, he sat in it, drinking the blood Vincent had brought down to him. He was back to using a wine glass, and had asked him to bring down some old red the next time he brought blood to him. The tension between them was still thick, but after getting his fill of carnage for the night, Alucard was calm about things. He didn't even read the boy's thoughts! An accomplishment for him thus far.

The commotion coming from Seras' room died down and she was now silent. _I wonder how long she intends on making me wait to see her?_ He could now feel her energy inside him, both of their ends of the bond strengthening. _Perhaps I should wait to have her drink my blood. If she'll ever even do it._ He took another sip of blood before wishing her a goodnight.


	13. Boundaries

_**Ferne's Thoughts:**_ As I sit in the waiting room for my therapist, I suddenly realize I am wearing too much perfume. Concept: Me, never applying too much perfume, ever.

*** _I don't own Hellsing, but I own this perfume. ***_

* * *

 **Four Days Later:**

"Please, Sir Integra! Make _**him**_ leave!" Alucard smirked at Seras as she pointed and whined at his figure in the corner of Integra's office.

"Miss Victoria. I have called Alucard up here to speak to him. You, however, just barged in. If anybody needs to leave, it's you." Seras' jaw fell as she blushed in anger.

"I came here to tell you about the mess I came to in my room tonight! And I _know_ he did it." Her eyes narrowed in his direction and he raised a hand to his chest before speaking.

"I assure you, Police Girl, I didn't step foot in your room."

"Oh? So you sent those damned dogs of yours to ransack my belongings? Is that it?" Alucard grinned at her and she gasped. "You **did** , didn't you?" Integra pinched the bridge of her nose.

"Seras, quiet down please. You voice is absolutely obnoxious sometimes." Seras turned to the Heiress.

"That's rather rude, don't you think, Sir?"

"Just quiet down. Now, is anything missing from your belongings?" Seras pondered for a moment before smoothing her skirt.

"Well. No, but I don't quite appreciate the mess and intrusion." Alucard chuckled in his corner. "Stop laughing at me, Master! How would you like it if I went through all of your things, hm?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Try it, and see what happens if I catch you."

"Oh, it's not as if you've got anything important anyway!" Seras turned away from him, growling.

"Stop it, the both of you!" Integra was losing her patience with the bickering vampires. "Now, you two are supposed to be _separated._ So leave, Police Girl."

"Oh, not you too Sir Integra! I've been demoted from Seras? What about 'Miss Victoria'? Eh? Even that's better than ' _Police Girl'!_ " Seras whined at Integra, while the older woman merely smirked.

"Go do something productive." She shooed Seras away and the Draculina begrudgingly left, but not without shooting her Master a dirty look.

* * *

 _He just can't help himself, can he? He just has to terrorize me all the time. Cor! Why can't he just take some time to himself?_

" _ **Because, Seras. You undermined him and had his Master separate you two. You're so petty sometimes, you know that? You're what? 40 something? Yet you still act like a blind little girl."**_

 _Shut up, Pip! I don't want to talk to you right now. I'm busy being angry._

" _ **Look, Seras. Just go see him tonight and make up. If you do that, it'll be a lot easier for everybody."**_

 _But it's only been four days!_

" _ **And what's happened in these four days, hm? Your room was torn apart, you've been tripped by his shadows at least six times, your blood packet had holes poked in it, and he keeps siccing those damned dogs on me! He's punishing you. And not even in the GOOD way!"**_

 _There is NO good way, Pip. He must've wanted to embarrass me when he bit me. He did it on purpose to torture me. Don't talk about it again and for Christ's sake, stop thinking about it! Now get out of my head and go flirt with some maids._

" _ **Don't mind if I do, but please. Consider what I said."**_ With that, Pip's presence disappeared from the back of his head and she sighed in relief.

* * *

"Did you do it?" Integra couldn't help but sigh a quick trill of laughter as the female vampire left.

"Of course I did. Who else?" He grinned at her as she took a seat at her desk. "Besides. Seeing her all worked up like that is truly a pleasure in itself." He kept his place in the corner.

"You're both incredibly petty creatures."

"Ah, 'tis a burden I carry Integra. I wonder if she was this way before I met her, or if I simply passed it to her when I turned her…?"

"Frankly, I don't care. I just want my two vampires getting along and stop fighting. This is ridiculous."

"Then allow me to see her." His voice ran silky through the air.

"No. You can see her when she tells me she's ready. Now stop pestering me about it. You're here for a reason." He sighed.

"And for what reason is that, my Master?"

"I'm to be hosting a ball this Friday."

"A ball? What does that have to do with me?" The humor in his voice made Integra want to shoot something.

"You are to be on the lookout for any freaks or vampires. I've caught word of an assassination plot, to be conducted on the night of the ball. We at the Roundtable have been planning this party for months, as a sort of inauguration for some of the newer members. I think it's silly, but Seras got the other members on board with it, so I figured we might as well have it."

"Well, it's not a very good plot if everybody knows about it. It's rather pathetic."

"Both you and Seras are to attend, and lookout for such things. Knowing her, she'll more than likely be flirting with all the people there. She does love a good party." Integra chuckled and Alucard scowled.

"Will we be required to dress for the occasion, Master?" _I certainly hope not._

"Now that you mention it, yes. We can't have you two sticking out too much, now can we? You two can go out tomorrow night to pick up some clothes." Alucard glared at the woman.

"You're not going to force us to match as well, are you?" _Please, no._

"Of course not. You're adults, you can wear what you want. Just don't make a scene."

"Why would I make a scene, Integra?"

"Oh, I know you haven't forgotten my 17th birthday, you beast." Alucard cackled at the mention.

"Oh but that little waitress looked so good! It's not my fault she was attracted to me!"

"That doesn't give you permission to try and rip out her throat!"

"Well I think it does. Besides, she didn't get hurt too badly. Not by me, at least. Perhaps those glasses she crushed cut her a bit. I can't quite remember." He chuckled. "Oh, no, I was wrong. I broke her wrist." He shrugged.

"Do. Not. Make. A. Scene."

"You can count on me, my Master."

* * *

Seras sat in the basement hallway, awaiting her Master. She heard heavy footsteps walking down her way and she laid down on the floor in front of his door. She closed her eyes as he came closer. The steps stopped about an inch from where she was laying and she cracked her eye open a bit.

"And what do we have here? Police Girl, are you laying at my door for any particular reason?" She could see him smirking and she opened her eyes fully.

"I wanted to talk to you."

"Oh, is that so? That's quite a shame. I've been forbidden from enjoying your company. Pity, isn't it?" He phased through the wall and into his room. Seras groaned.

She stood and tried the knob to his door. _Of course he's locked it. What else did I expect?_ "Master, please open the door." Silence. "Master?" Silence. "Can you hear me?" She knocked hard on his door. She decided to do something that may end in her getting shot, beaten, and/or killed.

She phased into his room. It was incredibly dark, with only two candles lighting the room. She looked around but couldn't see anybody. _Where is he?_ She heard water running and realized there was a thin line of light peaking out from under a door. _Is he in there?_ She walked to the door and realized it must have been a bathroom. _That must be the shower. Master showers? I've only ever seen him use his shadows to clean himself. Huh. I wonder if he brushes his teeth, too!_ She could hear the water even better now.

She stood by the door, listening. She could hear every drop hit and roll off his body. She stood there, captivated by the sound of it all. Suddenly, the water shut off with a squeak of the faucet. She realized she'd just listened to her Master shower for about fifteen minutes with a quiet gasp. _I'm a bloody pervert!_ She heard the rustling of clothing in the bathroom and dashed to hid behind his chair as the door opened, steam pouring out. She eyed her Master quickly, before ducking out of his sight.

His dark hair was dripping and long. _Much longer than when it's dry_. She saw a flash of the pale flesh, _his shoulders._ His body had steam drifting off of it. She heard his heavy footsteps coming closer and the ruffle of clothing. _Being put on, or taken off?_ The footsteps stopped abruptly, about four feet away from her. _Oh no._ Silence. Complete silence. _Why is it so quiet?_ Seras peeked out from her hiding spot only to notice that the room was empty. _He must've left. Thank God._

She stood up and examined the room more fully. With the light from the bathroom, the room was more illuminated, and Seras noticed the pile of books against the back wall, next to a large dresser with many drawers. She strolled up to the wall and looked at the books.

As she went through them, she realized they were all rather old. The spines of a few were all but rotted away. She opened one to find that although the ink was still dark, it was in another language. Going through the rest of them, she found that only one book was in English. The book in question was a botany book. _I didn't know Master liked flowers._ After pondering for a moment, she spoke aloud. "I don't actually know much about him, do I? I know things of him, but not about. How curious." She set the botany book back in place and stood. She took a step over to the dresser.

There were various things scattered on the top of it. _A pen, some foreign coins, a comb that I doubt he ever uses, some old bullet casings, some unused bullets, why does he need such a big knife?_ She picked up the dagger and examined it. It was obviously antique. The handle was covered in an intricate design, and silver. The blade was curvy, not straight like most others she'd seen. She wondered for a moment why her Master would have something like it, and why he'd just leave it out in the open.

She looked to the closed drawers. _I really shouldn't go through them. Master will be so angry. I would be, too._ She decided to do it anyway. _I've had a good life. If I die today, because I'm too nosy, that's fine._ She pulled open a random one. _Empty._ She started going through them all until she found something. _Is this… a diary? I wonder if it's Master's?_ She stared at the worn leather book in her hands. It looked old. She opened in to the last written page and read the beautiful script. It was in another language, but she still examined every word.

" _12 Ianuarie_

 _O vreau în atât de multe feluri este de nesuportat . Nu pot aștepta până nu pot avea în sfârșit ei ca propria mea . De partea mea , pentru restul timpului . regina mea , Seras mea . Vreau să -i închine , da -i din lume . Bijuterii , castele , avere , tot ce- ar putea dori , eventual, pentru . Eu o voi da la ea ._

 _Vocea ei este ca cea mai fluidă val , care se încadrează peste fiecare țesătură a ființei mele . Fiecare cuvânt , foraj adânc în sufletul meu . Ochii ei erau frumoase când erau albastre , dar acestea sunt superbe și pline în nuanță lor Vermilion . Când m-am atins-o , a băut sângele ei dulce noaptea , am făcut-o să se simtă plăcere . Trebuia să facă o doare , dar nu am putut să mă aducă să aud țipetele ei. Jur , aproape că am putut simți durerea ei ._

 _Dar modul în care sa mutat împotriva mea odată ce durerea a fost oprit delicios . gemetele ei moi și strigăte de plăcere aproape condus ma supărat . Degetele ea a înfășurate în părul meu , unghiile care săpată în spatele meu ... extaz pur. N-am putut ajuta, dar bea mai adânc , cu gust de euforie , care a fugit prin venele ei . L-am simtit , gustat -o atunci când ea a atins punctul culminant ei . Aproape am explodat de plăcere mine."_

She furrowed her brows at the odd letters and foreign words. _I wonder if he wrote this? I wonder what it says. I see my name, so was this written about me? Weird._ She put the heavy book back in its place. There was something else in the drawer along with the journal. It was a medium-sized locked chest. She picked it up and held it in her small hands. _It's heavy. I wonder what's in this thing?_ She shook it a bit and heard tinkling from inside. She felt a sharp change in the air and put the box back.

"What." Her heart dropped. "Are." Her breath hitched. "You." The room was freezing and the air static. "Doing?" Seras could feel her veins run cold as she turned around, slowly. Her eyes to the ground, she saw angry shadows twisting and jerking about.

"M…Master, I-" she stopped talking once she saw his face. _Oh God. I've never seen him look like this. Is he going to kill me? I take it back, I'm not ready for it yet. Is this what everybody else sees before he kills them?_ His eyes were wide and his mouth was slightly open. His hands were fists, clenching and unclenching spastically. His right eye was twitching as he spoke again.

"Get out, Seras." She was panicking. Her feet seemed to be stuck, she couldn't move.

"Master, please, I didn't do anything… Please don't be upset at me!"

"Get. Out." His voice was a hoarse whisper, she knew he was close to snapping.

"Please calm down, please let me explain." She looked down to see his gloves were glowing. His eyes were filled with flames. "I came in, I wanted to talk to you, but you weren't in here! I wanted to wait for you, and I, I, I…" She was stuttering and couldn't breathe. "I'm sorry Master, please don't-"

" **LEAVE!"** His voice boomed through the Manor, damaging Seras' sensitive hearing. Tears dropped from her eyes as she begged him, repeating the words.

"Please, please, Alucard! I'm sorry, please don't be angry at me!" She started to speak again, but her words were cut off as her Master's hand wrapped around her throat. She choked and gasped, clawing at his hand as she was lifted above him. She finally kicked at him, hitting him in the chest, sending him slamming back into the stone wall. She cried out as she fell and hit her knees. She scurried out of his room, face covered in tears and chest aching from fear. She heard loud screams and Alucard yelling in another language as she slammed her bedroom door and crawled into the bath tub. She sat there, feeling the Manor shake and shift with her Master's fury. She curled up and called Pip to her side, who consoled her and teased her. She fell asleep curled in his ghostly arms.


	14. Dress Rehearsal

_**Ferne's Thoughts:**_ So in the last chapter, I wrote a few paragraphs in Romanian, and I don't speak Romanian. So if I really messed it up, I'm super sorry. If you put it through Google translate, it should come up making pretty decent sense.

*** _I don't own Hellsing or Integra's eyepatch. Argh, matey! ***_

* * *

Seras awoke to Pip poking her on the nose. She opened her eyes and stared at him. "What is it?" Pip stood back, looking at her laying in the bath tub.

"I told Sir Integra."

"Told her what?" She rubbed her eyes, dry blood flaking off.

"Told her that you forgive Alucard. And not to worry about the fit he had last night. She has a… mission for you to go on. Get up and dressed." Seras heaved herself out of the tub, and washed her face.

With her makeup and hair done, she walked over to her closet and grabbed her spare uniform. Pip grabbed her arm.

"No, tonight's mission doesn't call for that lame suit." Seras cocked her head and defended her uniform.

"I don't think it's lame! It's a very beautiful shade of red and the skirt length suits me." She blushed. "It… It makes me look tall." Pip searched through her closet and pulled out a pair of jeans and a crop top. He wiggled his eyebrow, smirking.

"How about this? I'm sure you can pull it off!" Seras was going to smack his hand away, but decided to show him that she could, indeed, pull it off.

The jeans were dark and high waisted, stopping just above her belly button. The black denim stuck to her frame and made her legs look longer than they were. The crop top was a black, ribbed v-neck tank top, with a lace trim at the bottom. She wore her combat boots, and threw on a leather jacket. With her gloves on, she was ready. _Ready for what, though?_ There was a knock at her door and Seras threw Pip a questioning glance. He shrugged his shoulders and left through the wall.

"Come in!" she called to the closed door. A boot walked through the closed door and Seras flinched as she realized it was her Master. When he had fully phased through, they stared at each other.

Alucard was wearing a black suit, like the one he wore on the trip to Rio, except his hair was only to his shoulders, falling in his usual wild manner. His glasses were absent, as they were a lot, recently. He blinked slowly, taking in Seras' clothing.

"Is this what you usually wear when you're not ripping apart ghouls, Police Girl?" His face was neutral.

Seras stuttered before finding the words. "If I knew what we were doing tonight, I might've dressed differently, but yes." She kicked at her floor, refusing to look him in the eye. _God, I hate feeling like strangers. It's so awkward._

"Sir Integra wants us to go and get some things for the ball we're going to on Friday." Seras' head shot up to look at him and he grinned. "I get to pick out a dress for you." She twitched before answering.

"Oh, you do not! Master, you'll either put me in some big gown with a corset," his grin widened, "or some skimpy little thing that I'll fall out of all night!" He chuckled as she shuddered.

"While you may not be wrong, I don't quite like the idea of men staring at my fledgling all night, so I wouldn't force you to wear something I like _that_ much."

"I can pick out my own clothes, thank you." He turned and exited her room, voice lingering.

"Well let's go Police Girl. Don't dawdle." She shuffled out the door.

* * *

Vincent was waiting by the car – Alucard insisted on taking the Lincoln – as the vampires made their way out of the Manor. Seras walked slowly behind Alucard, reaching the car and the butler thirty seconds after the elder had.

She wasn't too keen on sharing a closed space with her Master after the previous night. _Everything's happening so fast, I feel like I just can't get a grip on things. Everything feels so hazy._ But he opened the door for her once she reached him, and Vincent cleared his throat, drawing Alucard's attention. The butler mumbled something under his breath that Alucard clearly heard, as he grinned and replied in an equally muffled tone. Seras climbed into the seat, and Alucard followed.

The car was filled with tense silence and Seras realized that she'd never seen Alucard in a car before. His long legs were stretched out as far as the car would let him. He didn't seem cramped, but he didn't seem comfortable either. His head was laying in his hand as he leaned his elbow against the car door. His eyes seemed unfocused, as if he wasn't really looking at what was going on outside the window. He seemed… Lost in thought. _Is he day dreaming? I wonder what he's thinking about._ Seras was half convinced it was probably some bloody mess he was playing over in his head. _He looks so peaceful. He's so handsome when he's not wearing a mask._

She turned and watched the London nightlife pass them. She decided that since she was trapped in the small space with him, then she'd talk to him. _He'll have to listen to me._ "I'm sorry, Master." She saw him turn to her in the window's reflection. He blinked for a few seconds before turning back to the window.

"For what?" She turned to him now. She scooted closer to his body and touched his arm.

"I'm sorry for having Sir Integra separate us, I'm sorry for going through your things, and… I'm sorry for telling you that I love you." He exhaled a breath she hadn't noticed him take.

"Don't be."

"What? Why?" Seras shook her head in confusion.

"Don't apologize. Just know that if I find out that you've been going through my room again, I will punish you. And it won't be anything like last time." She nodded. "Don't be a coward, Seras. Don't apologize for actions you don't regret."

"But I do regret them."

"Well you shouldn't."

"Just accept my apology, please."

"No."

"Master I-"

"Drop it, Police Girl." His voice was icy and warning. Seras sighed.

"Fine then. I think you need to apologize to _me_." Alucard bristled and looked to her in shock.

"Excuse me?"

"You've done nothing but hurt my feelings since you've been back. You should apologize, Master." He blinked at her before grinning.

"Oh, I've _hurt your feelings?_ I thought Little Seras had grown up in the past thirty years, but I guess I was wrong."

"You know, it's not easy with you being so… So…"

"So, _what_?"

"So guarded and emotionless. You act as though nothing phases you, unless you're angry."

"That's because nothing does."

"That's not true."

"Are you calling me a liar?"

"Not at all. But was it a lie?"

"You are really testing my patience, Police Girl."

The car came to a halt and Vincent opened Seras' door. She slid out and stood, stretching. She looked at the place they were parked in front of and noticed it was some sort of boutique. _This place sure looks snazzy, doesn't it?_ She looked to her Master to see him squinting at the bright street lights. _He looks so good._ He started walking towards the shop and Vincent ushered Seras forward as well.

* * *

The boutique's interior was lit brightly with fluorescent lights, nearly blinding Seras as she entered. Glamorous dresses and gorgeous suits lined up around the store and Seras' jaw dropped. She looked over to her Master, who seemed thoroughly unimpressed with the store.

"Everything's so beautiful!" Seras' sigh ran through the store, alerting a store employee to the trio.

"Ah, you must be the people Integra called me about, right?"

Vincent replied when the two vampires didn't. "Oh, yes, yes. This is Seras Victoria and her…" Alucard looked to the butler and grinned. "Her…. Well, this is Alucard."

"Well, I'm Karlee O'Hara, I own this place. Now," Karlee turned around and motioned for them to follow. "Integra gave me your measurements, and I have quite a few things picked out for you both." Karlee turned around and pointed to Seras. "You were a tricky lass to pick for," she pointed her finger down to Seras' chest, "with that bust and all. Finding anything with your measurements was dreadfully hard, I'm tellin' you!" Seras blushed and Alucard grinned as he leaned down to whisper into her ear.

"Oh, with that bust, I'm sure all sorts of things get hard, eh Police Girl?" Alucard chuckled at the rage that filled Seras' eyes and threw his arm around her shoulder as they made their way down to where ever Karlee was leading them.

"Now, I'm taking you, Seras, was it?" The petite blonde nodded. "Well, I'm taking you to the dressing room on the left here, and you," she pointed her finger to the man, "Alucard, are going to be on the right." Alucard pulled his arm from his fledgling and walked into his dressing room.

Seras stood awkwardly in front of the woman, taking in her features quickly. Karlee was a middle-aged woman, tall and slim with curly auburn hair. Her eyes were shockingly blue, and she had a light dusting of freckles on her face. She looked and spoke kindly, and her face looked rather friendly to Seras. The woman wore a fitted A-line cobalt dress with black stockings and white high heels. Even her nails were perfectly manicured and painted a deep red. She wore a bright pink on her lips, which made her teeth seem as white as snow. _She's beautiful!_ Seras was broken from her trance by the woman's voice.

"Well? Don't just stand there, darling! Come on!" The woman reached forward and pulled Seras by her arm and into a solid white door. The young vampire looked to Vincent for help but he merely smiled and shook his head, chuckling at the girl.

Once inside the room, Seras' eyes widened. _This room is huge!_ There were mirrors covering all sides of the room, two full racks of dresses leaning against one of them. The lighting was perfect, making Seras' pale flesh seem more alive, and gave her blonde hair a golden sheen. Her eyes took in everything the room had to offer, and Karlee stood in front of her, hand on her hips and a friendly smile.

"It's great, right?" Seras nodded again. "Oh, come on lass! I'm not going to bit you! You haven't said a word since you came in." Seras blushed in embarrassment.

"I'm sorry, everything's just really overwhelming right now. I've never come to a place like this." Karlee's eyes lit up.

"Well, then we'll just have to make sure you have a perfect time, now won't we!" Seras smiled at the woman. "Now, why don't you take a look at those dresses there and pick a few that you like the best. Or all of them." The woman chuckled.

Seras walked to the rack and eyed the dresses carefully. _There's a lot of red here. Did Sir Integra tell her to get red?_ She felt the body of a sequined crimson dress, examined the low cut bust of a violet gown, and fingered the lace of a cream colored strapless before coming to one she thought was perfect. She picked it up and showed Karlee.

"My my… That is simply gorgeous. Let's see you in it." Immediately, Seras refused. _My arm!_

"No, no, it's fine. I know it'll look great! There's no need for any of that." She waved her hand in front of her face and chuckled nervously.

"Seras, Integra informed me of your… _condition_." Seras paled.

"She… She did?"

The older shop owner laughed and smiled , walking closer to Seras. "Of course she did. You haven't forgotten your eyes, have you? If I was going to question something, it'd be those first." Seras laughed and ruffled her hair, having forgotten about her eyes. _I knew I'd forgotten something. It was those bloody contacts!_ "Now, I insist on seeing you in it!"

* * *

After Seras had finished trying on her dress, Karlee had all but forced her to pick out some heels as well.

"You can't wear those bloody things!" She pointed and screamed at the boots on her feet, when Seras told her that she'd be wearing them on the night of the ball. "That ball is in two days and you don't even have a simple pair of heels?"

After being forced to look at shoes, Seras had picked a pair, begrudgingly. Next was jewelry. When Seras refused the bright, glittering assortment that Karlee had brought her, the woman insisted on a pair of earrings. Seras accepted, if only to get her to stop yapping about how 'ladies must wear jewelry'.

Finally finished, Seras was exhausted. As she walked out of the dressing room, she saw Alucard laying on one of the couches, saying something to Vincent about 'women taking too much damn time' and 'I'd rather see her in nothing' and she glared at him. He sat up once she cleared her throat.

"I heard you, Master." Every word, spit out between clenched teeth. He grinned as he replied.

"What's in the box, Police Girl?" He looked down to the large black box she held in her arms, nearly covering her face.

"My outfit." He hummed in response. "Where's yours?" She tried to find something near him that resembled the container in her arms but failed.

"I had Vincent take it out to the car for me. I've been waiting for you to finish for about an hour." Seras' eye twitched.

"Oh?" Alucard nodded. "Well I waited for you for about 30 years." He flinched and growled at her as she sent him a sweet smile. Vincent stood and offered Seras help to the car, but she declined.

The shop owner called out a goodbye as the trio retreated to the car, and Seras gave one back. Once again, her Master opened the door for her and she slipped in, under his long arm.

Once inside the car, she set her box down on the floor, her feet sitting atop it. She noticed Alucard's own container sitting on the row of seats opposite the two vampires. She looked at him as he took his gaze to the window again. "I bet you looked amazing," she sighed. He twitched a bit.

"You'll just have to wait and see." She grinned towards him. "Seras?"

"Yes?"

"What do you want more than anything?"

"Um, well, I suppose that… I just want to be happy." Alucard nodded and closed his eyes for the remainder of the drive.

* * *

Integra at her desk when she saw the car pull back into the drive. She looked to her clock perched on the wall. _It's only 11. Still plenty of night-time to go._ She watched as the vampires popped out of the car. First Alucard, then Seras. Seras had a large box in her arms while Alucard only held his suit jacket, slung over his shoulder. As Integra watched, she noticed how Seras took a long look at her Master before he disappeared in a haze of black shadow.

Integra sat and waited for Seras' eventual arrival to her office, to talk about the night she'd had in London. At about half past 11, a light knock came from her door.

"Enter." In came the petite blonde girl, smiling ear to ear. "Well now, Seras. You seem happy." Integra smiled at the vampire.

"Oh yes, Sir Integra. I think Master and I are alright now. But," she paused and placed a finger on her chin, "I can never read him. He's so bipolar sometimes. Like, how he'll call me Seras one second and then call me _Police Girl_ the rest of the night." Integra chuckled at the girl's confused expression.

"Oh, he just enjoys teasing you. Here, have a seat." She pointed to one of the chairs. "Bring one of those over by me." Seras did so, and now the two women were sitting side by side. Integra swiveled her chair to face Seras. "I heard what happened last night. Both Pip and Alucard told me about it, at different times of course. Alucard was rather unsettled by the fact that you went through his belongings. Not that it's any of my business, but why did you do it?" Seras cleared her throat.

"Well, I was in there. He wasn't. I just sort of got curious. I didn't mean to make him so angry, I swear. I don't understand what was so secret that I looked at…"

"Hm. Well, you know Alucard. Short temper and incredibly private. I wouldn't mind it too much if I were you. Just don't do it again." Seras nodded.

"Anyway, I found the most beautiful dress! Now, I can't tell you about it because I want it to be a surprise. But I think you'll love it. I'm going to look great." She winked at Integra and the woman smiled in return.

"Well, you always look fantastic, Seras. No doubt about that."

"Oh shush, Sir! I look d _ead._ "

"Well, yes, but for a corpse, you're very attractive. I dare say that in a corpse beauty contest, you're likely to win!" The two women laughed and Seras laid her head on Integra's legs.

"Do you remember the time that we went out for dinner, despite you insisting that I wouldn't be able to eat the food? And oh god, did I try. I really wanted that cake." Chuckling, Integra continued the memory.

"Oh, you got a few bites in before your body rejected it. A valiant effort if I do say so myself! Even your Master would be hard-pressed to eat that much food."

"It's not fair! I get to live as long as I want, yet I can't enjoy a slice of cake? Ridiculous."

"Oh Seras, you're such an odd girl." Seras gasped and took offense.

"How so, Sir?"

"You're an undead creature of the night with a deceased French mercenary tethered to your brain and an arrogant smart-ass for a master, not to mention that you serve an organization that kills your kind, _and_ you kill them _yourself_. Yet all you're concerned with is how you can never eat sweets again. Is that not odd to you?" Seras pondered the question for a bit before answering.

"Well no, I suppose not."

"And why?"

"Because that's just my life, Sir. I've been a vampire for longer than I was human. It's practically all I know now. Or at least, it's all I pay attention to now." Though the words were melancholy, her tone was cheery.

"At least you still remember your humanity, Seras. I don't think I can say the same for Alucard."

"What do you mean, Sir?"

"Well," the woman pet Seras' hair, "Alucard is nearly 600 years old. That's a long time to be remembering things."

"I suppose. But I doubt that he completely forgot his human life. Oh!" Seras gasped. "When I was going through his things, I found a book."

"A book?"

"Yes, a journal of some sort. I think the last entry was the twelfth."

"Why do you think that?"

"Well, there was a 12, and then a word that sort of looked like January."

"But it didn't say January?"

"No. It was in some other language. But, I did notice my name in the entry."

Integra's heart skipped a beat. "Did you? Are you sure?"

"Yes. It said Seras. S-e-r-a-s. I think it was Romanian."

"Why?"

"Well. Isn't that where Master is from, more or less? It would make sense that that would be the language he chose to write it."

"I suppose you're right. But, I've never heard of him keeping a journal. Was there more than the one entry?"

"Oh yeah. The whole thing was filled. I didn't look at any of them, in depth, but I think it's super old."

"It's quite the possibility."

"Don't tell him I told you. Um, you probably shouldn't mention it at all. But I bet you already knew that, Sir." Seras chuckled nervously.

"Don't worry Seras. This will stay between us. Does he know you read it?"

"I'm not quite sure. I don't think he knows. If he does, he didn't mention it. Well, tell me about your day!"

* * *

Integra and Seras spoke until about one in the morning. Integra headed to bed and Seras roamed the Manor for another hour before heading to the garden. The garden was towards the back of the estate, but it was rather large. She noticed a dark figure sitting on one of the benches and came closer. The figure didn't notice her presence, so the girl inched forward, slowly. As the clouds passed over the moon, the silver beams illuminated both the garden and the figure. She realized that the figure was her Master and called out to him.

"Hello, Master." The Nosferatu turned and acknowledged his fledgling's presence, but didn't speak. Seras came around to sit with him and saw he held a rose in his hand. His eyes were locked on the night sky and she stared with him for a moment. "What are you doing out here?" His eyes shifted a bit before finding their place in the sky again.

"It's a beautiful night." Seras nodded and moved closer to him.

"Can we talk?" He looked her in the eyes.

"Haven't you had your fill of talking for the night, Police Girl?"

"No. I'd really like to talk to you."

He sighed. "Fine. About what?"

"Why do you think nobody can love you?" He bristled and clicked his tongue.

"Seras. I don't wish to keep talking about this."

"Please, Master. I know that you're not the easiest to get along with, but that doesn't mean you don't deserve love." He was silent. "But, that's not what I wanted to talk about. How old are you?"

"598."

"How old were you when you became a vampire?" There was a long pause. "You don't have to-"

"I was 45."

"Really?"

"Mm."

"But you don't look that old."

"Don't you remember the form I took on the night we fought Millennium?"

"Yes." He smiled at her and cocked his head.

"That's what I looked like when I was human."

"With the mustache, and everything?"

"Yes, mustache and everything." He ruffled the hair on her head as he stood. "Anything else, Police Girl?"

"Why were you out here?"

"I told you. It's a beautiful night. I was just enjoying it. Hm… Or until you came and bothered me, Childe." Seras glared at him. He turned his back and started walking to the Manor.

"Where are you going?"

"If you follow me, you'll find out." Seras furrowed her brow and got up from the bench to follow her Master, adjusting her top and pulling up her pants. Seras ran up to Alucard's side. She looked up to see him grinning at the sky as he walked.

* * *

Turns out, her Sire was only walking to his room.

"Master?" He opened the door.

"Yes, Police Girl?"

"What are you doing?"

"Going to my room. What about you?" Seras stared at the back of his head as he walked to his chair and sat. She inched her foot forward and past the threshold of his door. He smirked and cocked his head as he watched her.

"Well. I suppose I'm going to your room too." She stepped into his room when he didn't complain.

"I suppose you are." He motioned for her to come over to him and she did. "Have a seat." He pointed to his feet and Seras decided to test some boundaries. She sat right on his lap. He sucked in a sharp breath and his eyes widened.

"Is this alright, Master?" He cleared his throat before moving his hands to the arms of his chair. Seras noticed the awkwardness of his movements and leaned back against his arm.

"Tell me about your time away from me. Certainly you must have some good tales, after 30 years." Seras thought for a moment.

"Well. There is this girl, Heinkel Wolfe, she's a regenerator, like Anderson was. She works for Iscariot and she always manages to show up right as I'm about to eliminate the target. Cor, she thinks she's all that, with her damn _holy words_ and _almighty Iscariot Organization._ I love smashing her head to bits. ' _Go to Hell, vampire heathen! In the name of God, I shall destroy you, damned monster!'_ I honestly haven't got the slightest idea what she thinks she is, if not a monster. God, she's so sure that she's going to be the one to end me, even as I rip her apart." Alucard noticed the blood-lust shining in her eyes. Up close, he also noticed a thin line going across the scarlet of them. The thin scar stretched across her nose as well, he saw. He grinned at the words coming from his Draculina's mouth.

"Well, well, well. It looks like my little Seras finally enjoys the hunt?" He purred in her ear as he laid a hand on her thigh. Seras blushed.

"I can't say no, now can I?" she chuckled.

* * *

So they sat, and Alucard listened to Seras' tales of murder and carnage, while Seras admired the pride in his eyes as she spoke. This went on until dawn, when the pair were falling asleep on one another and Seras was yawning. She looked to him, to notice him yawn as well and realized that she'd never seen him do something so… _human._

"Let's go to sleep, Police Girl." He picked her up and placed her on her feet. She walked over to his door as he stopped her. "Where are you going?" She turned to see him wearing a confused expression.

"Oh, I was going to my room. To go… sleep, you know?"

"No. You're sleeping here, with me."

"I'm… I'm sorry Master?"

"You. And I. Are going to sleep."

"In your coffin?"

"No, Police Girl, on the ceiling." The bite in his voice made her eye twitch.

"I'm not even allowed to touch your coffin."

"Well I'm allowing you to, now."

"No, it's fine, I don't want to be a bother."

"It is not a _request._ " Seras bristled as she thought of the words to say.

"Can I just go change into something more comfortable, Master?" He sighed and sat on the lid of his coffin.

"Go."

Seras dashed into her room and threw on a pale green chiffon night gown. _At least I dress more like a grown woman now._ She brushed her teeth as quickly as she could, until her teeth were shiny and clean. _Hopefully I don't wake up with disgusting breath._

When she had finished, she came back to his bedroom and he was now lying on the coffin, in his dress shirt and trousers, boots kicked off and lying by his chair in the middle of the room. He opened an eye when she cleared her throat.

Upon seeing her in her night gown, he shot up and looked her up and down. He arched an eyebrow.

"Do you get some sort of thrill from ogling me so blatantly, Master?" She placed a hand on her hip, making the gown slide up her thigh. She saw him look and immediately changed her stance. She yawned and he spoke.

"Tired, Police Girl?" She nodded and he stood and opened his coffin. He slid in. "Are you coming?"

She scurried over to him and sat on the edge of the coffin, sliding her feet in, then her body, before lying next to him fully. "Your coffin is big."

He chuckled and moved closer to her, their shoulders touching. "I'm a big man. I like a lot of room." She felt him place his gloved hand on her shoulder and pull her close to his chest. She gave in to his form and pushed her face into his chest, and placed one of her hands on his other, which was draped across his stomach. Upon feeling her touch, he turned his hand over and cupped hers. Seras gasped and he sighed. "Your hands are so small, Seras." He grabbed her hand tighter and she snuggled into him closer.

"Mm…" She drifted to sleep, pointing out all of the details in her mind. _He smells like… mm… like gun powder and wine and blood and… and Alucard. His hair is falling on to mine. His hand hasn't lost any grip the whole time. His breathing is slowing down. So is mine. The silk of his coffin feels so good against my skin. I wonder what his hands feel like under his gloves. I bet they feel just as good as the coffin. Why is this thing so damn big?_ The arm draped around her rubbed her waist. _I could fall asleep to this forever._ She felt a tingle in her mind as she fell into slumber.

 _I_ _ **should**_ _fall asleep to this forever._


	15. Belle of the Ball

_**Ferne's Thoughts:**_ Thanks to everybody who's favorited, followed, and commented! You're all super cool and I'm so thankful that you like my messy little Hellsing fic! This chapter is hella long, sorry. Also, since I couldn't find any information on Seras' birthday, I made hers mine! I will admit, this chapter is a bit quick paced and will be turning into complete non-canon territory, as I planned. So, with that being said, please take this chapter as what it is-a separate entity from the canon of the Hellsing Universe. Some things in this fic will be 100% canon, others will be 0.

*** _I don't own Hellsing and I'm starting to run out of witty one liners for this ***_

* * *

The night of the ball had finally arrived, and Alucard sat in his room, getting a headache from all of the trampling going on upstairs. _You'd think they'd be a bit more afraid of angering the monster downstairs, but no._ He sighed and decided to get dressed and ready for the ball.

He slipped on his suit for the night. It consisted of a black dress shirt, crimson trousers and suit jacket, and a dark red tie, unlike his usual scarlet cravat. He still wore his riding boots. He looked at himself in the mirror, messing up his hair the way he liked it. He decided on growing it down past his shoulders, but it was still dark and ruffled appropriately. He stared into his eyes for a moment, thinking. _I wonder what Seras will look like? I wonder which of us stands out more?_ His red orbs were close in color to his clothing, but not quite as dark. They still matched noticeably.

Having already drank the blood supplied to him by Vincent that night, Alucard took a step into the hallway and ventured towards the ball room.

* * *

Integra decided against wearing a dress, despite Seras and Vincent's pleads. _I'll be damned if I have to wear a damn bloody dress again._ She straightened the cross she wore above her tie and buttoned her cuffs.

Walking to the mirror, she pulled her gloves on. Once she saw herself, she tousled her long silvery locks and examined the lines on her face for a moment before turning her attentions to the suit she wore.

Her suit was black, and fitted to a woman's shape. It was feminine, yet masculine at the same time. She wore a snow white dress shirt, while her tie was a piercing red. After several moments of primping, she decided she was ready to face the growing crowd in her ball room.

* * *

Vincent hurried in the kitchen with the other servants, putting finishing touches on food and drinks for the ball. He carried large trays out to the tables in the ball room, filling them all up with drinks and food. _There's supposed to be upwards of 200 people, all either Roundtable members or Hellsing soldiers, plus their guests. Is this enough?_ The butler wiped his forehead with a handkerchief and breathed a sigh of relief as the tables were filled up with dozens of courses. He felt an odd shift in the air of the room, but couldn't see anything out of the ordinary. _I should keep my guns with me, just in case._

* * *

"But I want to see all of the pretty ladies! Please!" Seras didn't even try to hold back her laughter as she got ready for the night.

"Pip, I guarantee no 'pretty ladies' will be trying to sleep with a ghost." He smirked at his reflection in her vanity.

"I'm not a ghost."

"Oh, it's close enough." She swiped some color on her pale lips and made sure her teeth were clean. "Besides, I'm pretty enough, don't you think?" She saw his devious smirk in the mirror.

"Well, ma cher, you a _re_ gorgeous, just not mine to enjoy. Do you understand?" Seras put the pairs of earrings in her ear before smoothing down her hair.

"Who says you can't?" He chuckled at her teasing.

"Only in my fantasies, sweetheart!" She stood and turned towards him, modeling her outfit.

"Well? How do I look?"

He sighed his answer, breathlessly. "You could steal my heart, if you hadn't already taken my spirit." Seras rolled her eyes.

"You're always so sarcastic, Pip. But I accept the complement." She started to leave before turning back to him. "On second thought, you should come!" His eyes lit up as he followed her.

* * *

The room was full by the first hour, yet no vampires in sight. Sir Integra had already greeted the important guests and now leaned against one of the pillars. She desperately craved a cigar, but decided not to risk bothering the guests with the smoke. The room went to a quiet whisper and Integra saw something red out of the corner of her eye.

She turned to find Alucard walking into the room. Upon passing Vincent, the vampire grabbed a glass of wine from the tray he held, flashing a grin the man's way. Integra arched her brow at the grinning vampire and could practically feel the fear from the crowd.

"Nice party, Integra. The food looks great!" The vampire grinned wider and chuckled before taking a spot towards the far wall, the crowd parting for him.

Integra looked over to the small group of Iscariot members and sighed. _They look about ready to cut him to pieces. I can't wait until Seras shows up._ She rubbed her eye before moving to chat with a few soldiers and their wives.

* * *

Alucard watched the people in the ball room dancing, talking, kissing, touching. He half envied them, and was half annoyed by them. The majority of people avoided him, as was his liking, but occasionally, somebody would shoot him a flirty look. He simply glared and they went back to their own business.

He stood, leaning against the wall and sipping wine. _Where is she?_ He stood there for about ten minutes before he heard gasps and a lot of murmuring and praise. He heard a quiet voice and moved to see who it was that was gaining attention.

"Miss Victoria! You look amazing!"

"Vincent, please! I don't look that good." Alucard's eyes widened as he saws his Draculina standing in front of the crowd, blushing. He took in her form slowly.

Seras was draped in a long, one shouldered black gown. The gown went to her feet, and hugged her every curve. The gown looked silky, and there was ruching on the side of the dress without a shoulder. Her hair was pulled back in an elegant loose braid, allowing a full view of her face. There were two pairs of shining diamond earrings on her lobes, a total of four studs. Her eyes were shining and stood out against the paleness of her skin and hair. Her thick lashes were stained black and lifted with mascara, a thin line of black on her upper lid. Her lips were painted a dark berry color. As she walked, he noticed the long slit going up her gown, exposing a leg. She wore a black pair of strappy heels, giving her an extra three inches in height. He noticed that she wasn't covering her shadow arm, or his bite marks. _She is so beautiful. She already looks like a queen. My little Seras…_

His eyes followed her every fluid movement as she walked towards him with a little smile on her face. His chest ached more and more with every step she took, and he cleared his throat. She finally reached his area at the wall and greeted him.

"Hello Master. You look nice." He smiled and cocked his head.

"Seras, you look absolutely gorgeous." She blushed and breathed deep before looking down at herself.

"Do you really think so? It's not too much is it?" He chuckled at her concerned expression.

"Quite the opposite. Glamour suits you." She laughed and looked down.

"Well, with what you wear on a daily basis, I don't think I should take advice from you." He smirked and looked around the room once again, before noticing a group of men staring at Seras and smiling.

"It seems that some men require your attention, Police Girl." The girl looked over her shoulder at the smitten men and her eyes widened before turning back to her Master.

"God, they're looking at me like a piece of meat. I'm so glad you don't look at me like that, Master. You at least have some sort of decency with your ogling."

The pair spoke for a moment about Seras' effect on men before one came up to her. The man was young, in his early twenties, and was clearly both frightened and nervous at being around the vampires. He poked Seras on the shoulder to get her attention, and also got the elder vampire's attention thrown his way as well.

"I, um, I'd like to, well, um," the man stuttered while looking between the two Nosferatu, "would you like to dance? With me? If that's alright?" He didn't know whether to ask the man in red for permission or not, so he left the question hanging. The man in red's eyebrow cocked up and a smirk became his features.

"Go on, Police Girl! Answer the poor boy before he dies of fright." Seras paled a bit before accepting the man's proposal, eliciting a large smile from him.

* * *

Alucard watched as Seras continued to dance with soldiers and agents and even a few Roundtable members. He felt envious, jealous, and possessive and as soon as she came back, he draped an arm around her shoulder. He felt her lean into it and pulled tighter. He handed her a glass of champagne, which she accepted. He leaned down into her ear and whispered. "Two hours into this thing, and nothing exciting has happened. I'm about ready to shoot somebody just for the excitement." Seras chuckled before speaking.

"I think you may have spoken too soon." He turned to see another man walking towards them, shining blade in hand. The man spoke and Alucard realized that it w _asn't_ a man.

"So you think that just because your pathetic little master is back, you're safe from the wrath of God?" The woman was dressed in priest's clothing, with a disgusted look on her face. Her accent was thick, German. Alucard cocked his head and his grip on Seras tightened as he moved to protect her. Seras put her hand on his chest before breaking out of his grasp to move toward the woman.

"Oh Heinkel. You're going to do this here, darling? Come now, you were _invited._ Hellsing can just as easily shut down the 'Social Relations' branch. That wouldn't be good for Iscariot, now would it?" The woman cackled and raised the long blade in her hand, eliciting gasps from the crowd watching.

"Why are you heathens always so damned stupid? I'm going to end you. Tonight, vampire. And nothing can stop me." Seras raised her eyebrows and smiled.

"This isn't going to end well for you."

"It'll end worse for you."

"I really don't want to mess up my hair. This took a long time, you know." Heinkel charged towards Seras, missing her as the vampire teleported right behind her. Heinkel hesitated a moment before turning around and slicing Seras' face.

The vampire's eye twitched as she reached out and clawed Heinkel's face with her bare hand. Chunks of flesh and bone flew from the woman's face as blood splattered onto the floor and Seras' cheeks. The woman's face grew back together within a few seconds. A bright fire erupted in the vampire's eyes and Alucard admired the fight. All the humans were doing their best to avoid both the fight and the mess that would be following it. Some were cowering, while others stood back in awe. Heinkel slashed at Seras one more time, but Seras caught the blade. Smoke rose from her burning flesh as it made contact with the blessed silver. A small hiss erupted from Seras' lips before she leaned in to speak to the German Iscariot.

"You. Will. **NOT.** Ruin my night, Heinkel. You are going to fuck off, or I am going to slaughter all of God's little lambs over there." She pointed to the other Iscariot members and the gasped and whimpered before acting tough again. Heinkel leaned in closer, nose touching Seras'.

"I can't wait to have your head on a stick, monster." Seras grinned maliciously and narrowed her eyes, hand still being burnt by the silver.

"And I would say that I can't wait to taste some more of your blood. But sadly, you taste worse than ghouls." Heinkel pulled her blade from Seras' loosened grip, slicing the burned flesh. The woman walked away and toward the exit of the manor, ushering the other Iscariots behind her.

Seras turned to Sir Integra, who was standing in the front of a table of food. "Why on earth did you invite that uncultured beast, Sir?" Seras yelled to the smirking Hellsing. "She could've damaged my dress!" Laughter ran through the crowd and Seras blushed in anger, shadows flailing.

"And you could have torn her head off. But you didn't. Why not, Agent Victoria?"

"It's a bloody party! Not a _bloody_ party," Seras whined under her breath before turning back to her grinning Master.

"What, Police Girl? You didn't bring your guns?" Seras pouted as she strutted over to him.

"No. I didn't think I'd need them."

"Well, you could've borrowed mine, if only you'd asked." He waved his Cassul in front of her face until she growled. "You looked beautiful with rage in your eyes." Seras looked into his eyes and smiled.

* * *

Soon, the party was back to normal, and the blood from the short exchange had been cleaned. Seras was chatting with Alucard, making fun of the other guests and pointing out who's blood might taste the best. Alucard noticed and pointed out Pip flirting with some women in mini dresses. Seras snorted with amusement as she laughed at him showing the women how he can fade in and out of solidity. Alucard chuckled as he watched her stroll over to him and asked for a dance.

While watching Seras with Pip, he noticed a shift in the air. He breathed deeply, smelling the scent of somebody's fledgling vampire nearby. He made his way through the party unnoticed and left, following the scent.

* * *

He found a group of three vampires huddled together towards the back of the Manor. He listened to them speak for a moment.

"No, no. The party is over there. We have to take them all by surprise."

"Is the King's fledgling there?" He heard a smack.

"Shut up, Rico! He is _not_ the king. There is no king anymore. He's gone. And soon, our Queen will take his place."

"Well is the girl here?"

"Probably. She shouldn't be an issue."

"You heard what the Madame said! 'Don't underestimate Seras Victoria.'"

"Well, we have to _find_ them all so we can kill them."

"But we're lost!" Alucard came up behind them and spoke.

"Oh, if you're looking for the ball room, it's a little down the way." The three vampires jumped and turned to him, growling. All at once, they seemed to realize who he was as they looked upon his gloves with wide eyes. "Now, you weren't speaking of over throwing the King were you?" He took a step towards them, placing his hands behind his back. He grinned. "Because that's treason."

One of the vampires, a tall brunette girl, stood forward and trembled as she spoke. "No! We just, we didn't know you were alive, is all. We heard that you'd died. Vanished. That you were gone, forever! Our Master-"

"Who is your master?" The three looked amongst themselves before another one, a blonde boy, answered.

"Our Master is Madame Elizabeth Bathory." Alucard nodded his head once.

"So that lunatic is still creating new vampires? Pathetic." Anger filled their features, and Alucard took note. "At least you're loyal. Why are you here tonight?" They were silent a moment, before the brunette spoke again.

"Just kill us, Hellsing dog!" Alucard's eyes went wide a moment, surprised by the gall of the girl.

"I want to know why you're here." His voice was nothing more than a low growl as his eyes invaded theirs. The last one, a red headed boy, finally spoke up.

"We were sent here to kill Integra Hellsing. My Master wishes to take over the world," the boy spoke with adoration and pride. Alucard couldn't help but cackle at the absurdity of the young man. An idea popped into his head as he looked at the trembling vampires.

"Here. I want to make a deal with you."

"A deal?" The brunette was the bravest of the trio.

"Yes. My Master, _Integra_ , ordered me to kill the pathetic maggots who planned on killing _her._ " They whimpered and bundled closer together. "However," his grin widened, "I'm more than willing to make a deal with you."

"What do we get?" His eyes narrowed.

"Your lives." They exchanged looks before nodding their heads rapidly. "Good! Now, I'll let you leave if you agree to send a message to your pretty little master."

"What's the message?"

"Tell her that I wish to collaborate with her."

"On what?"

"The death of Integra Hellsing."

"But she's your master!"

"Yes, and I am but a slave to her… _Until she dies._ Once she's dead and gone, I can rise back to power. I believe it's in mutual interest."

"And you'll let us live if we agree?"

"I swear." He arched an eyebrow and smiled at the trio. They looked at each other before turning back to him.

"We agree."

* * *

Seras finished dancing with Pip only to realize that Alucard had left and gone somewhere. A pout filled her features as she walked over to the remains of the food. Her mouth watered as she looked at the cakes, sweets, home-baked chips, sweet breads, and ripe vegetables. _This is the cruelest of tortures._ She sighed over the delicious smelling buffet. She decided to go and chat with some of the other guests, and within no time at all, she saw her Master come back into the ball room.

He walked over to her, and Seras watched every step he took, enjoying the view. _It's always nice to actually see the form of his body, as opposed to the huge silhouette of him in that huge coat. His arms are amazing. Stop it Seras! That's your Master. But oh my god, the way his hair is flowing with his movements is so hypnotic._ He reached her and held out his hand to her. Seras looked upon him with confusion.

"Care for a dance, Seras?" A smile creeped its way onto her face as she placed her hand in his.

"I'd love to, Master." Seras was pulled onto the dance floor, where about a dozen other couples were dancing to the classical music being played by the band. He pulled her closer to him, placing one hand on her upper back and one on her waist. Her arms traveled up and wrapped around his neck. She spoke into his chest. "The only problem is that I haven't the slightest idea how." His laugh purred in her ear.

"That's fine. Just follow my lead." And she did. She gave in to every dip, every spin, every slow step, she followed. She could feel every set of eyes in the room on the two of them.

He moved with such grace, it all but passed into her and allowed her to move like an experienced dancer. Seras felt his hands shift as he brought one up to grasp hers and one was lowered farther down towards her bottom. Just as she thought she was going to have to slap her Master in front of 200 people, his hand stopped.

He led her in a complicated step, but with him, Seras felt no hesitation or complication with the steps. It felt as simple as breathing, as she danced with him. Her eyes were locked on his and she noticed his eyes kept shifting between her eyes and her lips. He bit his lip and she saw a bright drop of red pour from it. She pulled his head down and whispered in his ear as they danced.

"You're bleeding, Master." He smiled before licking the drop up. As the song ended, he leaned down further towards her neck. He purred in her ear.

"I can make you bleed, if you'd like." He ran his tongue up the length of her neck and she quivered, pushing him away just as the song stopped.

He chuckled and grabbed her hand before she fully turned away. "Thank you for the dance, Seras." She smiled at him, her fangs glistening in the light.

* * *

Integra watched as the crowd started thinning, guests going home for the night. She said farewell to them, and turned to see her two vampires dancing. She watched as Alucard spun Seras and held her close. She felt the fire of jealousy rising in her chest as his eyes met hers. He grinned towards Integra and moved his hand lower down Seras' back. Her eye narrowed and she felt her hands turn to fists. She watched them, anger bubbling in her chest, until the song ended and the pair separated.

Alucard immediately turned to his Master and walked to her. "You know, I'm sure she'd give you a dance if you asked. Maybe even a little kiss if you're nice." Integra bristled as she closed the gap between them.

"How dare you speak to me like that? Have you forgotten your place, King?" His grin widened, showing every sharp tooth.

"Of course not, my Master. I meant no offense."

"I saw you leave earlier. Were there vampires?"

"Yes. I took care of them. They were too stupid to make their way here, so they were bickering about where to go. They were fairly amusing, until I told them my orders."

"So you got rid of them?"

"Of course."

"Good. How many?"

"Three young fledglings. Teenagers."

"Who made them?"

"Elizabeth Bathory." Integra's eyes widened and she took a step back.

"Bathory? I'd read in my father's books that she was defeated."

"It seems that she's still breathing. And creating new vampires. But then again, I'm not exactly in a position to know the whereabouts of vampire nobility." The woman shook her head, looking down.

"So a powerful vampire wants me dead? I'm glad I have an even stronger one working for me." Alucard cocked his head at her before chuckling.

"Are you expecting a fight?"

"Well she sent a group of her vampires to kill me once, and now they're gone, don't you think she'll be curious? Don't you think she'll try again? Come now, Alucard. I know you've been away from people for the past 30 years, but you can't be that oblivious!" She watched as the last couple left the ball room and turned to Vincent, who was clearing one of the tables that Seras was drooling over. "Vincent! Come here for a moment." The butler turned to her with wide eyes, looking over both the grinning vampire and the heiress.

"Yes sir?" He strolled up to her, still holding a tray of food half gone.

"I want you to find as much information on Elizabeth Bathory as you can. We've got ourselves a new enemy." Vincent's eyes widened as he looked between the pair again.

"Really? She's the one who set up the assassination?" His voice was filled with disbelief and Alucard turned to walk away, speaking as he moved.

"Yes. And she's the one that's going to die if she tries to kill Integra again." Integra smiled and turned her attention to Seras, who was about to put a piece of cheese in her mouth. "Come on, Police Girl. Party's over."

Integra watched as Seras walked to her Master and started asking questions about the enemy vampire. Alucard merely walked and draped his arm around her, answering in only 'yes' or 'no'. As they walked out the door, Integra could hear Alucard give out a large sigh and say 'yes Seras'.

She stood and watched the servants move around, cleaning up the room. Soon after, the room was cleared and Integra decided it was time to sleep.

* * *

"So this Bathory woman, she wants to kill Sir Integra?" Alucard nodded as they walked to her room. Seras stopped him from entering once she heard a quiet giggle. "Stay out here." She opened the door, only to be greeted by a half-naked woman on her bed, hastily covering herself with the blankets. "Who the hell are you?" Seras' eyes were wide with shock and she looked around the room, finding several small bottles of alcohol littering her floor.

"I came here with Pip. He's real nice." The girl was slurring every word and reeked of booze. Just then, Pip came out of the bathroom, eyes widening as he noticed the fuming Draculina.

"You used _**my**_ room to do… This? Pip?!" The drunk red-head on the bed giggled and moved to sit up.

"Well, ah, you see, you weren't here, and I thought you'd be gone for a while."

Seras turned back to the topless woman and yelled. "Get your bloody clothes on and get the hell out of my room!" Her shadows twisted and writhed around her and her voice was shrill. The woman dashed to get dressed as Pip pleaded for Seras to calm down to no avail. "I can't believe you! In my bed? My room is bad enough, but in my god damn bed? Pip you're twisted! And you!" She pointed to the girl as she threw her high heels on. "Get out of my house before I rip you apart!" The girl screamed and ran out of Seras' room, stumbling down the hall in her heels. Pip followed her, yelling after the drunk woman.

Alucard stared in wide eyed amusement as the girl tripped in her stilettos. He laughed and turned to his fledgling to see her ripping her bed apart. He stepped in to her room and put a hand on her shoulder, still chuckling. "Whatever are you doing?"

Seras stopped ripping the sheets off and turned to him. "They used my bed."

"Oh? For what, exactly?" His grin was face splitting and Seras huffed at him.

"I didn't ask, Master. I don't even want to know. She was naked in my bed."

"Well there are a lot of activities one can do without any clothes." Seras thought about slapping him, but decided against it. _I shouldn't make him angry._

"I wanted to sleep in my own bed tonight, but it looks like I'll be sleeping in yours." His smile faded into a puzzled look.

"Mine?"

"I'm going to sleep with you in your coffin again. And it's not a request." He smiled at the use of his own words to the girl and cocked his head.

"Well of course. Where else would you sleep, if not next to me?"

* * *

As Seras laid against his chest, Alucard listened to her breathing. They hadn't spoken since getting in the coffin. _It's been ten minutes and she hasn't said anything. Why is she being so quiet?_ She shifted and raised her face towards his.

"Do you brush your teeth?" Alucard shook his head, taken aback by the odd question.

"Do I what?"

"Brush your teeth. I do. Do you?"

"Yes, Seras, I brush my teeth." She laid her head back on his chest.

"I just wondered, since they're always so pretty looking."

"You think my teeth are… pretty?"

"It's odd, I know. Don't think about it too much. You don't think that Sir Integra will be killed by any vampires that Bathory person might send, do you? I mean, we're here. And you could destroy anything that threatened you." He felt an immediate flutter in his chest as his Childe showed her unending belief in his abilities. "But what if we're out on a mission or something?" Alucard ran his hand through Seras' hair. After she took it out of the intricate braid it was in, her hair was left wavy. He let his fingers play with her soft strands.

"Don't worry about it. If the time comes, I'll protect you."

"It's not me I'm worried about though."

"Don't worry. You trust me don't you?"

"Of course I do."

"Then do me a favor and stop worrying."

"Oh alright. So how do you know her?"

"Who?" His fingers were still playing with her hair.

"Elizabeth Bathory. How do you know her? Were you two friends?"

Alucard laughed and moved his fingers from her hair and down to ran along her spine. "Seras, you should know that I don't have friends. But no, we weren't friendly on any terms. She always wanted my power. She wanted to be Queen, no matter how many times I told her she wasn't worthy. I truly detested her. The most odious woman, I swear. As if being a vampire wasn't enough for her, she went and decided to bathe in the blood she didn't drain from those poor girls. And then there were all of her fledglings. She'd just cast them aside, with no knowledge, no wits. They caused devastation to villages, and ultimately ended up a pile of ash. I suppose she was always obsessed with power, even before becoming a vampire. But once she heard of me, she tried everything she could to get a piece of my power. Besides killing me. But now it seems as though she thought I died. I bet she could taste it, the power I have, when she heard that I was gone. But now, she should know that I'm back. And her treason not go unpunished." Seras shifted against him, putting her leg up and around his waist.

"Is she evil?"

"Aren't we all?"

"I mean, what does she want to do with the power?"

"I would guess she wants to take control over the world. Not just the vampires, but the humans too." She hummed contentedly. "She knows about you."

"Me? How do you kow?"

"Her fledglings mentioned you."

"How come you didn't tell me about the assassination, or that vampires were here?"

"I didn't want to bother you with something I could take care of myself."

"While that's considerate Master, I might've been able to help get some more information out of them."

"Maybe. But I'm happy with what I know. What's your favorite color, Police Girl?" Seras' head lifted from his chest again.

"My what, sir?"

"Your favorite color."

"Well. I rather enjoy black, but violet is nice too. What's yours?"

"Red." Seras could hear the grin behind his words and laughed.

"Of course it is! What's your favorite time of the night?"

"I like it best just after midnight. I haven't the faintest idea why."

"I like the beginning of the night, just after sunset. Even if I do sleep through it most nights." Alucard chuckled.

"How about your favorite flower?"

"Ooh, I love hydrangeas. You?"

"Roses."

"So unoriginal."

"What do you mean?"

"Everybody says they like roses."

"They're nice."

"But cliché."

"When is your birthday?"

"May 25."

"Hm. You know, I came back because of you."

"What?"

"I heard your voice. I could hear you speaking to me. Over time, your voice got quieter, until one time, it was as loud as it's ever been. I had to come back to you. I needed to see you, to feel you, and to be with you again."

"Master…"

"I didn't think I'd miss an annoying Police Girl like you as much as I did."

"Hey! I'm not that annoying."

"Of course not." Alucard moved and changed his position, pulling Seras up to face him. He moved his face in close to hers, watching her red eyes narrow and blink slowly. "This is the part where you close your eyes." She smiled before shutting her eyes. He closed his as well and brushed his lips against hers, slowly, to see if she would pull back. When she didn't he pushed into them, kissing her. She leaned into the kiss.

They kissed deeply and passionately, fingers tangled in each other's hair. His free hand roamed the expanse of her back, stroking her slowly. Hers went to his chest, feeling every inch of clothed muscle. They pulled away, slowly, breathing heavily. Seras turned around, pushing her rump into his groin. He pushed back into her and she scooted against him until she was comfortable.

"Good morning, Master."

"Good morning."

* * *

 **Somewhere near Paris…**

"Madame Bathory!" A tall brunette walked her way, _what was her name? Catherine? Catarina? Ah, that's it. Catrina._ The Countess smiled at her fledgling.

"Yes Catrina? Did you complete your task?" Catrina winced a bit before giving a sheepish smile.

"Not quite, Madame." She noticed the woman's frown. "But! We did something much better than just killing her."

"Oh?" Elizabeth walked over to a desk and pulled a bottle off of it. She uncorked the bottle and poured the cold, thick, red liquid into a glass.

"Yes. The King. He's alive." The woman dropped her glass, both shards and blood pooling on the carpet.

"What? You lie, Childe!" Catrina held her hands out in defense and continued.

"No! He spoke to us. We made a deal, all of us."

"You made a deal? With Vlad?" The woman cackled. "Are you mad, or just stupid?" Catrina huffed.

"Madame, he made a deal with us. He let us live in exchange for an alliance."

"Alliance?"

"With you, Madame Bathory. He knows that you want to kill Integra Hellsing."

"And? Why didn't he just kill you?"

"Well, he said that while she's still alive, he's a slave to her. He doesn't want to be a slave to her, obviously. He wants her dead just as much as you, even though he might not have said it. He wanted to form a sabotage, kill her when she's not expecting it. He said that if you agree to work with him, that you should send word to him somehow."

"So Vlad wants something I want?"

"It appears so, Madame. I think that it's a good idea to collaborate with him."

"So do I dear, so do I." Elizabeth turned from the stain on the carpet and to the young girl. "I shall write out a letter telling him I agree. This should be fun." Catrina curtseyed and left the woman to herself. Thinking about his alliance with her, she laughed, the sound billowing throughout the large estate.

"Long live the King."


	16. 6109 Minutes

_**Ferne's Thoughts:**_ I've been listening to the OST for the Hellsing TV series and it is so funky I can't even think straight. Seriously. I love the music from the original, it's top shit. But, the music from the OVA is hardcore and also top shit. Even the Nazi stuff is catchy aft (sadly). I will admit that this chapter is definitely not my best work for the series so far, and at times, it is pretty fluffy and OOC. Please bear with it, though, because it gets better. I wrote this chapter mainly as a sort of "what happens between Alucard and Seras right after they kiss? Does everything change?" type of thing. (BTW: Who else loves Lindsey Stirling? I'm HOH, so music with lyrics is sometimes hard for me to understand, but I'm not a fan of boring classical.) Also, the chapter is called 6109 Minutes because thats how long it took my fuzzy brain to type this all up.

 _*** I don't own Hellsing or Pip or Seras or Teggie or Alucard or any other canon character, but trust me, if I did, it would be glorious. ***_

* * *

Seras awoke to her Master mumbling something in her ear. It was a low purr, but she could make out the words.

"I don't want to be alone without her anymore…" Seras pushed against him, turning her head to face him more.

"Master? Master wake up. It's night time." She kicked her leg back, hitting him in the thigh and waking him up.

"What is it?"

"It's time to wake up." Alucard lifted the lid of his coffin, laying back and stretching a bit. Seras popped out and walked towards his door.

"I'm going to go change, Master." He mumbled something in acknowledgement but stayed in his coffin with his arm over his eyes.

* * *

Seras walked into her room, rubbing her eyes and feeling the mascara that she forgot to wash off crumble and cover her under-eyes. She saw that her bed had been re-made, with clean sheets. _Thank god. Maybe I overreacted about last night…?_ Sitting on the mattress, she sighed and recollected the previous night.

 _Master and I went to bed in his coffin… He asked me some very odd questions – well, odd for Master – he even answered them when I asked back… then we… we… he… Oh god!_

" **MASTER KISSED ME!"** Her voice ran shrill through her room, gaining the attention of Vincent who was walking in to give her her nightly blood. His eyes opened wide, first upon hearing the words come from the small girl, then even wider upon noticing her short nightgown. He dropped the buckets, spilling ice and blood packets on the floor. He quickly covered his eyes and turned around.

"Miss Victoria! I deeply apologize for intruding! Please forgive me!" He walked out of the room slowly, reaching his hand back to shut her door. She could hear his muffled voice through the thick metal. "Take your time, I'm sorry."

Realizing that she'd embarrassed the butler, _or scarred him for life,_ Seras quickly threw on her scarlet uniform and washed the excess makeup off of her face. Fiddling with the laces of her boot, she cursed herself for being so loud and oblivious to the man's presence. She stopped lacing up her boots when she heard her Master's voice asking the stuttering butler something. She cleaned up the mess of ice and blood packets while she listened.

"What are you doing outside of the Police Girl's room?"

"Uh, I went in and she was… indecent, oh god…"

"Is that so?"

"Yes, yes, I certainly hope she's not too upset with me."

"Did you see anything good?"

She heard a sharp gasp and her Master chuckling at his own crudeness. She stomped over to the door, opening it and facing him.

"You know, Master. You might be able to see something even better if you weren't so rude." His eyebrows rose high and his face turned into a sly grin.

"Do you swear, Police Girl?" Seras merely narrowed her eyes.

"Vincent, calm down! You only saw me in my pajamas!" The man didn't seem to be handling things well at all.

"Yes but it was very revealing."

"You've seen me with my uniform ripped to shreds. Come on, it's ok! It was my fault for not hearing you knock." She gave the man a sheepish smile and he gave an awkward one in return. _He really does look like a scared teenager when he's embarrassed. Hard to believe he's in his twenties, sometimes. But I guess it's hard to believe I'm in my 40s, now isn't it?_ "I cleaned everything up, so you can leave and go do other things, alright?" He bit his lip for a moment before nodding and leaving the two vampires alone.

Seras stood, leaning against her door frame, watching her Master. He stood on the wall opposite her, his head cocked and his grin frozen in place. He looked past her and saw the buckets, filled with ice and blood, on her floor. His eyes narrowed and went back to hers as he took two steps towards her. Placing his left hand on the door frame, by her right hand, he leaned down to her face. His voice ran silky through her ears.

"Are you going to invite me in, Seras?" After a moment, she pulled her hand from its place on the doorway, allowing him entry. He smiled and walked past her, claiming a blood pack and taking a seat on her bed. Seras walked in, closing her door. She sat next to him and lay her head on his shoulder.

She felt him shift to turn to her and looked up into his eyes. "You look nice." He chuckled and handed her the remainder of the blood he was drinking.

"You can just ask. You don't have to complement me for your dinner." She grabbed the blood with a small smile.

"I wasn't, but thank you anyway, Master." He pulled another one out and started to drink from it. "You're a good kisser. Did you know that?" He sputtered and seemed to be choking for a moment, causing Seras to move back in shock. "Are you alright?!" He recovered and looked at her with wide eyes.

"I'm a good kisser? Is that what you just said?"

"Yeah. Your lips are really soft, and… you're good at it is all." He stared at her with confusion. "What? It's a complement. Take it." She looked away from him and drank, but she felt his eyes on her.

"Thank you… I suppose. Your lips are sweet. It was easy to get lost tasting them." Seras' body froze. _Are we… Are we flirting?_ She blushed and turned to see him still looking at her. He smiled at her. "You're blushing, Police Girl. Did I say something?"

She tried to control her breathing, but every breath came out jagged. "Master. Do you care for me?" He blinked slowly, eyes lighting up.

"I do." She nodded, scooting closer.

"Do you… Do you love me?"

"I… I can't say."

"So… you don't?"

"I didn't say that."

"So you do?"

"This is not the time for such a tedious discussion. Let's go." His tone wasn't icy or biting the way it normally was when they spoke about love, and Seras noticed.

"Go where?" Alucard stood, waiting for Seras to rise as well.

"I must speak with my Master."

* * *

"Master! Slow down, in case you haven't noticed, I have short legs!" Alucard slowed down slightly to allow Seras to catch up to him.

"I'm in a bit of a hurry, Police Girl. If you don't stop dawdling, you can't come." Seras crossed her arms but kept up with his quickened pace.

"I'm not a child." He chuckled at her childish tone.

"Then perhaps you should stop acting like one."

As Alucard walked towards his Master's office, Seras pulled on his sleeve. He stopped and looked down at her worried expression.

"Something's wrong… Somebody's here." She looked around, her pale hair moving rapidly about her shoulders.

"I don't sense anything." He started to walk forward once more, only to have the small vampire grab his hand tightly enough to break his bones. He hissed in annoyance and pulled her forward.

* * *

The door to Integra's office was now in view as the vampires walked on. Seras sniffed the air, narrowing her eyes and taking on a defensive stance. Alucard cocked his head at her.

"What on earth are you doing now?" The door to the office swung open, and a pair of priests walked out.

One of the priests turned to shake Integra's hand in the doorway. "We apologize for the inconvenience tonight. You have been very hospitable to us, despite the circumstances." The other priest, a shorter, blonde one, huffed.

Alucard turned back to Seras as she started to move. She marched towards trio. She tapped the blonde priest on the shoulder. "What are you doing in my house, Heinkel?" Heinkel turned to Seras, the two blondes locked in a staring contest. The older, taller priest was visibly nervous as he watched the two. Integra merely stood, looking at Alucard instead of the girls.

"Iscariot had business with Integra, _not you or your filthy boyfriend._ I don't answer to you, Seras Victoria." Seras smiled at Heinkel, her eyebrow arching.

"Then get out."

"Excuse me," the older priest leaned into view, placing a hand on Heinkel's shoulder. "We were just on our way out. Heinkel, come on." The priest's eyes darted between Seras and Alucard.

Alucard walked to his Childe and wrapped his arm around her, eliciting disgusted looks from both Integra and the Iscariot members. "Say goodbye to your friend, Seras. I've got business to attend to." The petite vampire growled and turned her gaze to her feet. Heinkel smirked and caught Alucard's gaze.

"Let's go, Franco. I'm sick of this damn protestant filth." Franco mumbled an apology to the vampires, and flashed a nervous smile at Integra.

Alucard removed his arm from Seras as she shook her head at Integra.

"Sir. Two times in one week is enough. I'm sick of the smell of her." Seras wrinkled her nose and Integra laughed.

"Watching you two is better than television, Miss Victoria. Honestly, you have amazing control. Your Master here shot Anderson at least once per meeting." Alucard grinned and Seras sighed. "Now, why are you here?"

"I wanted to speak with you, and Seras wanted to follow me."

"You told me to come…" Alucard glared at the girl.

"Hush." Integra leaned against the doorframe, staring at Alucard. _Is there a reason every woman in this house is staring at me tonight?_ "May I come in?" His Master nodded once, and allowed the vampire room into her office. He walked in several steps, taking a seat. Integra followed suit, sitting at her desk.

Seras started to walk in when the door slammed closed, hitting her nose. "Erm… Master?" Her voice was muffled by the thick door.

"Go entertain yourself. I'm busy." He heard her stammer for a moment, before silence filled the hall outside again.

* * *

"What is it, Alucard?" Integra pulled a cigar from her pocket, and started to smoke.

"Why don't you tell me why Iscariot was here?" She took a short drag on her cigar before answering.

"Some Iscariot members, including Heinkel Wolfe and Franco James, stayed in England after the ball. While they were here, they decided to investigate some ghoul reports. They came by to tell me which ones were simply rumors, and which ones were taken care of by them."

"And they couldn't send you these things?"

"Paladin James thought it would be easier to come by, I suppose. He was rather polite, despite being a Catholic." A smirk grew on Alucard's features. "Now. Why are you pestering me?"

"I wanted to know of any information you've found on Bathory." She nodded and hummed.

"Yes, Vincent managed to dig up some things on the woman." She pulled out a tan file from her desk, and slid it over to him. "Everything we've discovered thus far is in this file. Go ahead and read it over." He stood and grabbed the file. "Is that all?" Integra's cigar hung from her lips. Alucard walked to the window behind his Master, file in hand.

"Yes." He stared out towards the dark sky, stars twinkling.

"Are you just choosing not to use your mental bonds with me, or haven't your powers strengthened enough for it?"

He breathed deep. "Do you want me prodding at your thoughts?" She chuckled.

"We both know I've got a solid grasp on keeping you out of where you don't belong in my thoughts."

"Ah, so then you simply want to know what I'm thinking?"

"Trust me, I don't want to know anything about what's going on in your mind." At this, Alucard chuckled and started to leave.

"My powers _are_ strong enough. If you request, I will allow our bond to manifest once again."

"I do." He let out a deep breath as he placed a hand on the door handle.

"As you wish."

* * *

Alucard sat in his chair, reading through the file and listening to the numb buzz in his head. _What on earth is she thinking about?_ He tried to concentrate on the reading, but the buzz was overwhelming. _I can't focus on anything. I'm not used to the feeling of being bonded to someone's mind anymore. Should I allow Seras and I's bond to fully strengthen as well?_ He focused on the thin string connecting the two vampires and felt the bubbling pressure of the bond as it strengthened.

It became strong enough that he could hear the whispering of his Childe's thoughts brushing his mind.

" _ **I wonder where he went. God, it's so pretty out here. That breeze feels amazing. It would be even better if I could stay out here all the time. Does he even understand how he feels? I wish I did. One second he's sweet and kisses me, the next he ignores me and treats me like a kid. Ooh! A shooting star! I wish Master would be clear with how he feels for me. Should I even care?"**_

Alucard left the mind of his childe, a fluttering feeling in his stomach. _I know what she wants, but I cannot give it to her. How do I feel for her? Why does she make me act so… odd? Certainly Seras doesn't make me nervous. Does she?_ His finger tapped rapidly on the arm of his chair.

With his mind now connected to both Seras and Integra, Alucard was consumed with the rapid buzzing of his fledgling, and the low toned steady buzzing of his Master. He sat back and sighed, placing his restless hands in his lap. He tried prodding into Integra's mind, only to have her bark at him in his.

" **Stay out of my mind when you're not wanted, vampire."**

He felt Seras coming closer to his room after a few minutes and straightened in his seat. A light knocking came from his door, along with a quiet, questioning voice.

"Master?" He opened the door with his shadows. "Oh, hello." He smirked at her and she stepped in. The door closed behind her, making her jump a little bit.

"Good evening, Police Girl." She smiled at him and adjusted the skirt of her uniform. His eyes roamed the expanse of her thighs- creamy and porcelain, before the supple flesh disappeared into black stockings. He licked his lips at the thought of touching them, pressing his fingers into the muscle, the feeling of his lips on them, the feeling of his teeth sinking into them. She stood back up straight and flashed a toothy smile at him. His eyes narrowed wistfully dat the sight of her tiny fangs. "Take a seat." She nodded and went to sit at his feet.

He frowned slightly, after realizing she wasn't going to sit on his lap again. The frown went away after he heard her voice.

"Master, were you in my mind earlier? I felt this… this tingling in my head, like somebody was walking around in there. I haven't felt anything like that since before you left." He shifted his head to lay on his hand and felt Seras lay against his leg.

"Yes."

"Oh?"

"I was testing our bond. It's fully strengthened and we're connected once again."

"So, you can just barge into my mind anytime you want, again?" He could hear the scowl in her words.

"Yes. Unless you set mental boundaries, I'm sure you know how to by now."

"So I have to lock my brain up so you don't invade my privacy? Seems a little unfair." His laugh bellowed through his room.

"Indeed it is, little one. But," his hand lowered to pet her hair, "in case you've forgotten, I'm your Master, and you, the fledgling."

"That's not fair."

"Most things tend to be, Seras."

"I like it much better when you say my name. It sounds so pretty when you say it." She stood and looked at him. First his eyes, then his lap. She reached down and Alucard's eyes followed her hand down to the file in his lap. She picked it up, examining the outside of it. "What is this thing?" He arched an eyebrow.

"Information on Elizabeth Bathory." She opened it and her eyes widened as she flipped through the pages.

"All this?"

"Well she's been non-existent to the Hellsing family and I for the past three hundred years. There's a lot to catch up on."

"And just how much of this is fact, and how much are rumors?" He shrugged at her questioning gaze. "Did you read this all?"

"No, not everything. I couldn't focus." She hummed in reply. "Are you sleeping with me today?"

"I miss my bed. Your coffin is comfy and all, but my bed is… better." He smiled at her and she tucked the file under her arm. "You can come sleep with me if you want, though."

"I know I can." She laughed and turned around to leave.

"Not with that attitude, you can't." His grin widened and he watched her hips sway with each step. She stopped a few steps from the door, head turning to look at him and shadow hand forming a finger to point at him. "And don't you try to snoop in on my dreams or something. I deserve privacy, at least when I sleep."

"I can't promise anything."

* * *

Seras stepped into her room, looking at the tan folder in her hands and closing the door with a light kick. She sat at her vanity, placing the folder in front of her. She looked up, gazing at her reflection in the mirror. Her honey butter hair swarmed her features as she shook her head to and fro, feeling the air move through the strands. After running her gloved fingers over her face, brushing back her bangs, she returned her gaze to the woman staring back at her. _Is this what other people see when they look at me, or do they see something else?_

She counted every detail, every permanent flaw, every freckle and sighed. She unbuttoned her collar, allowing her throat to feel the chilly air of her room. Peeling off her gloves, she laid them by the folder. Taking in a deep breath, she opened it. _Time to learn about our little friend._

The first page was a picture she hadn't seen while she had been flipping through the pages in her Master's room. It was a photograph, printed in color on the otherwise blank printer paper. The photograph's subject was a woman, sitting at a table. _A café?_ The surroundings were lit up with bright candles and several street lights. The woman wore a pair of large, fashionable sunglasses, despite the picture looking as though it had been taken in the middle of the night. The dark frames stood out vividly against her porcelain skin, as did the shocking scarlet of her lipstick. In her hands, she held a delicate looking teacup. The woman had a head of gorgeous apricot curls, falling just below her collarbones. She didn't seem to be aware of the photographer, and seemed to be waiting for someone. Her face was directed slightly to the left, her eyes probably searching for whomever she was waiting on. She looked young, despite half of her face being hidden from view because of the sunglasses. _Maybe in her twenties?_

After the first photo, there were several others, one including the woman sitting with an equally well dressed man. The man was dressed in a dark grey suit, no tie, no sunglasses. His eyes were a lovely shade of emerald, highlighted by his dark black hair. His hair was short, yet messy and falling in a way similar to her Master's. _Is he a vampire? I'm not sure… He looks alive._ The last photo showed the woman standing with her arm locked in the man's. The man was taller than she was, even though she was wearing what must have been six inch stilettos.

"So this is Elizabeth Bathory? I was hoping she'd be uglier," Seras sighed and set the photos aside, moving on to the typed documents.

" _Elizabeth Bathory, AKA Taissa Langdon, is an ancient vampire with many rumored abilities. Such abilities include regeneration, superhuman strength, superhuman speed, superhuman reflexes, enhanced agility, telekinesis, hypnosis, and shadow manipulation. Her exact age is currently unknown, as are her exact whereabouts. She was last spotted outside of Paris, in a small café called Le Petit Abricot. When questioned and shown photographs of Bathory, the café owners had no recollection of the woman._

 _Her weaknesses are unknown, as are the number of vampires she has made. Her motivation for planning the attack on Sir Integra Hellsing and other Roundtable members is also unknown at this time._

 _She was originally thought to have been dead since 1923, after a vampire hunter reported her to be. This report was substantiated by the absence of her presence, or word of her presence, for several decades._

 _But now, that claim has been discovered to be false. Alucard, servant to the Hellsing family, discovered several assassins sent to kill Sir Integra Hellsing, who claimed they had been sent by the vampiress._

 _Contained in this folder, aside from this summary of the woman, is her known history, both human and Nosferatu, known fledglings (deceased or otherwise), and other such details._

 _-Vincent Courtland."_

Seras read the document over, several times, before moving on to read about the history of the woman.

* * *

Seras' eyes were fluttering shut as she lay on her bed, a dozen papers spread out around her. She had changed into a pair of frilly chiffon pajama shorts and a matching thin-strapped top. Sprawled out on her bed, she laid her head down on the papers.

 _I'll just rest for a moment…_

* * *

Her head snapped up, hearing the sound of yelling coming from the hall outside her bedroom. She looked to her digital clock. _3:15 am. God, I slept three hours! What's going on?_

She hopped out of bed and grabbed the pistol from the pile of her uniform. She stood by her door for a moment, listening to the yelling.

"The rules are clear, Alucard!"

"My master, your shrill voice could wake the dead."

"Do **not** disrespect me, vampire!" Placing the pistol on to her vanity, Seras stuck her head through the door, quite literally.

She saw Alucard, standing with his back facing her, further down the hall. She recognized Integra's voice, but could not see her. Seras phased her entire body through the door now, realizing that they had not noticed her presence, and crept forward a bit more.

"I understand your infatuation, but I don't understand why you felt the need to bother me when you could have simply waited until-"

"Alucard, watch your tone when speaking to me. I am still your master! You will respect me, even if it damages your precious ego!" Alucard laughed.

"Believe me, Master, my ego is much too big to be deflated by you."

"Explain to me why you so blatantly felt the need to disobey my rules."

"I think the reason is fairly obvious."

"Enlighten me." Seras crept closer, interested in the conversation.

"Her tongue wanted so badly to be in my mouth, I just had to allow it." Seras' eyes widened. _We didn't do…_ _ **that!**_ She heard the muffled smack of what she assumed to be a gloved hand striking across her Master's face. She saw his head turn slightly to the left as the sound rang out through the hall.

"You are a disgusting, vile creature. Saying such vulgar untrue things about my Seras!" Integra's voice was seething, almost stinging Seras' ears. The words brought a blush to her cheeks and she muffled a gasp with her shadows. _What is she talking about?!_ If Integra's voice was furious, Alucard's was one of pure rage, coming out in little more than a rough growl.

"We both know who she belongs to. She is **mine.** She will be mine until the day she dies. Seras is mine, body and soul, she belongs only to me. She has never belonged to you, and never will, Integra. So I would suggest you stop saying such _vulgar, untrue things about my Seras."_ Seras took another step forward, intending on breaking up what looked to be the beginning of a violent fight.

 _No, Master would never hurt Sir Integra… Would he? Why do they keep talking about me like I'm a thing? I'm a person. I belong to myself, don't I? What is this about?_ "Master? Sir Integra?"

Alucard stiffened and turned around to fully look at Seras, allowing her to see Sir Integra. Integra's eye was wide, and her skin tinted red from anger. She was still wearing her suit, though now, sans tie. Seras could see the creamy paleness of her neck, and the hint of her collarbones. She could feel the pulse through the air as she concentrated on the woman's neck. Snapping herself out of it, she turned her gaze to her Master's eyes, fiery and full of emotion. Upon catching her gaze, his eyes narrowed.

"Eavesdropping is rude, Police Girl." Seras walked closer to the pair.

"I wouldn't quite call it eavesdropping, Master. You were both so loud I… What's going on, anyway?" Integra cleared her throat, running a hand through her hair and walking towards Seras.

"Nothing, Seras. Were you sleeping?" The girl nodded. "Well go on back to sleep then." Integra turned back to Alucard, standing in the same spot, his face neutral. "We are done here." The woman smiled to Seras and continued down the hall, form disappearing.

Seras hesitated before walking towards her Master, his eyes following her every step. She stopped in front of him, shaking her head before meeting his eyes. "What was all that about? Please, Master, tell me. I'm so confused." She furrowed her brow, trying not to whine. He cocked his head and blinked slowly.

"My Master doesn't quite like the fact that I kissed you, Police Girl." Her eyes widened slightly, but she kept her cool.

"Why not? Why does she care? How does she even know?" He sighed.

"I think it's fairly clear that Integra doesn't enjoy the idea of us being… _close_. She gets horribly jealous, I'm afraid. And she knows because your little boyfriend told her all about the scene he made earlier."

"Vincent? Why would he do that?" Alucard shrugged and turned around to leave.

"Ask him yourself Police Girl. It doesn't much bother me. Go back to sleep." She watched him as he phased away, before returning to her room.

Laying on her bed, now cleared of papers, she sighed. "Why does nobody tell me anything?" _Maybe we just aren't meant to be together. I don't think I'm ready for a relationship anyway._ "I'm going to be single forever, aren't I?"

* * *

Integra lay in her own bed, an hour after her confrontation with Alucard. She decided to poke into his thoughts. The wall that usually blocked her out from his personal thoughts seemed to be down, so she dove into his mind slowly. She could feel their bond being stretched slightly as she went into his thoughts.

His mind was a mixture of harsh thoughts and light memories. She heard him thinking to himself and decided to listen.

" _ **Perhaps I should just wait to be with her… No. She is mine and I deserve to have her. I will never stop fighting for her. She is the one thing that I want, and I will have her. No matter what limits I have to go to. But… I will wait to be with her. I can do that. I fought for thirty years to come back to her. I can wait some more."**_

Integra felt her anger rising and took a deep breath, calming herself. She felt his attention shift as he started replaying memories. She sensed herself being taken over by his memories and before she could stop, a cold essence poured over her as she was pulled in to the memory.

* * *

 _Where am I?_ The scent of decay was heavy in her nostrils. She looked down, noticing her tall stature. She tried to look around, but she only looked to the bright moon illuminating the dark sky. Ghouls were moaning in the distance.

"How beautiful. Nights like this make me want a bite to drink. Yes… I couldn't imagine a more… perfect evening." _That's not my voice… Why did I say that?_ She felt herself start to walk, despite not wanting to. She watched as the scenery passed by her, quickly and she realized. _This is Alucard's memory._

The memory flashed by in a supersonic haze, bringing her to the view of a large church. Gunshots and screams ran through the air to her – _Alucard's_ – ears. She listened, waiting. _For what? I should try to help them. Why am I just standing here?_ She saw a flash of yellow, recognizing the form as a human. A girl, in a police uniform, running quickly. The moans of ghouls ran through the air, replacing the human screams. She felt a grin grow on her face, despite her protesting inner monologue.

Once again, the scenery changed, spinning around and turning into a different place. She felt herself laughing, the deep sound billowing through her chest. She felt a tingling, almost stinging sensation all over her body, as if she was being sewn back together. Rising up, she found herself surrounded by ghouls.

She took them out with incredible accuracy, turning to a pair of people. _No. That's a vampire, and that's… That's a human._ The vampire was dressed in priest's garb, his face long and frightened, eyes wide and teeth bared. She looked to the – much smaller – human he held in his arms. It was a girl, she was struggling against him, straining her neck as far from his face as she could. Her eyes were big and blue, fear swimming in their depths. _**But not of me.**_ Alucard's voice rang through Integra's brain and she realized that he must have been noticing the same thing at the moment it happened.

The vampire's voice droned on and on, but Integra was only focused on the girl. For the life of her, she couldn't recognize the face. The girl was young, beautiful. Her hair was short, pale, and messy. The girl was petite, even more so when held by the tall vampire. _This is who I saw running from the church._ Suddenly, she was brought out of her inspection of the girl by Alucard's deep voice. Looking over the long gun in her gloved hand, her eyes were locked on the girls'.

"Are you a virgin, my dear?" The girl's face paled before a light blush crept over her cheeks. _What is he doing?_ Once again, the vampire's voice rose out over the silent air.

"What are you doing!?"

"I'm asking if you're a virgin!" The girl stammered and the vampire priest grew furious.

"You bastard!"

"Answer me!" Integra felt Alucard's voice rise from her chest, a thick growl. The girl blushed deeper and yelled out in reply, her voice high and rushed.

"Yes! Yes, I am!" The gun in her hand vibrated as she pulled the trigger, the loud sound exploding through the air.

Once more, the memory shifted forward, and Integra felt a dull ache in her mind. Suddenly, she was kneeling over the girl. A sweet smell filled her senses and she saw blood, covering the beautiful girl. There was a large hole in her chest, and her hand was in hers. She felt a light sting on the back of her hands, but paid no attention to it. She wanted to feel pity for the dying girl as she gasped for air, choking on blood. Yet all she felt was… a strange sense of pride, longing, excitement, _**need.**_

"I had to shoot through you to pierce his heart. I'm sorry, but you're dying. There's no time left. The choice is yours. What do you want to do?" The girl nodded slightly and coughed, her eyes fluttering and struggling to stay open. _Alucard, don't. Don't do it._ Integra's head cocked and a grin stretched across her face as she leaned close to the girl. "Police Girl. Tonight truly is a beautiful night."

* * *

Integra was pulled from the memory by icy hands gripping her shoulder and shaking her.

"What… What is going on?" She opened her eye to see a pair of red ones glaring at her, full of anger. Eyes focusing, she recognized the eyes belonged to Alucard. She tried to shake herself out of his grip, but his fingers dug tighter into her shoulders, nails cutting her flesh despite being behind gloves. "Unhand me!" The vampire growled at her, closing the gap between the two. His breath was cold on her face and his stare made her skin crawl. He bared his teeth animalisticly before speaking.

" **Stay out of where you don't belong, Master. You might see something you don't want to. You don't want me playing around in your mind, do you?"** With that, the cold hands lifted her up slightly, and before she could react, she felt the sharp pain of sharp teeth puncturing her flesh. They tore her skin, ripped apart her muscle, and she screamed out in agony. She felt her blood run down hot on her chest. Her hands tried to push him away, but her continued to bite into her and chew her body mercilessly. She screamed and wailed to no avail. She tried to reach for her pistol, but it wasn't under her pillow as usual. He growled against her throat, fangs sinking deeper into the gash he'd created in her neck. She felt him suckling greedily at her blood.

The world went black and all she felt was a fuzzy static enveloping her body. Her eyes fluttered closed as she sank into oblivion.

* * *

Integra bolted upright in her bed, breath heavy and gasping. She grabbed for her neck, only to find that it was untouched. Her face was wet with tears and she wiped it off with the back of her hand. She looked up towards the ceiling, panting, and realized it must have just been a dream. She was about to fall down on her pillow when she heard a rustling in the corner of her room. A low chuckle erupted from a dark figure forming in her room.

As he materialized, Integra recognized the figure as Alucard. "What are you doing?" He stopped chuckling.

"Bad dream, Master?"

"How dare you enter my room? What have you done to me, Alucard? What was that?"

"Next time you shove your long nose into my memories, I won't be so kind as to warn you of your fate, Integra." Her eye widened.

"You dare say that to your Master? Alucard, I think you've forgotten your place in your absence." He grinned at her and stepped forward, the early dawn light illuminating his features and casting grim shadows on his face.

"Oh, I've forgotten nothing, Integra. Things have merely… changed." He arched an eyebrow at her at phased through the floor, waving.


	17. Laying Down Plans

**Ferne's Thoughts:** At the moment, I think my favorite character to write is Catrina, one of my OC's. She's fuckin' gr8. Such a hoot.

*** _I don't own Hellsing, but if any of the characters ever want to smooch me, I'm open for business! Especially Alucard ;)) ***_

* * *

 **February 12…**

Alucard stood in his room, dressed and ready for his plan. Seras knocked on his door. She opened it hesitantly, before smiling at him and stepping in.

"I'm so glad you stopped wearing that hat."

"Oh? Well in that case." His shadows swirled around him, and when they passed, Seras grimaced at the sight of his old red garb.

"You're really going to ask Sir Integra to go out like that? Master, you look like a pimp." He grinned at her, cocking his head and strolling up to her. She flinched as he ruffled her hair softly.

"Then I suppose that makes you my-"

"Master!" Seras gasped and slapped his hand away as he cackled.

"I'm only joking, Police Girl. You're so sensitive." She clucked her tongue and placed a hand on her hip. She was in her uniform, blood splattered from her mission that night. _Absolutely divine._

"Are you sure I can't come? I love going into London." He thought it over once more, quickly, before answering the girl.

"No. You are to stay here and make sure nothing happens to my Master."

"But neither of us were here while we were getting clothes for the ball. I don't see why-"

"Because, Seras. We were not aware of Bathory's presence before then. Now that we are, we must always be alert and wary of an attack. Do you understand?" She sighed.

"I suppose."

"Good. Now, is there anything you'd like me to get you?" Seras pondered for a moment before lighting up and replying.

"Ooh! Master! I would be really grateful if you were to pick me up some nail polish!" He narrowed his eyes.

"You wear gloves all the time, Seras."

"So? I also wear something covering my lower half all the time, yet I still wear knickers. What's your point?" She pursed her lips and arched her eyebrow at Alucard. Sighing, he rolled his eyes once.

"Fine. But you'll get what I bring you. You don't get to choose." She smiled at him, her teeth flashing in the candle light.

"Thank you!" He murmured a reply, and Seras phased out of the room.

* * *

Alucard knocked on Integra's office door. Things had calmed down slightly between them in the weeks following their argument. Seras had been avoiding spending too much personal time with Alucard and instead favored working with Vincent or chatting with Integra. Integra enjoyed the change, but Alucard felt a bit… well… ignored by the girl.

Seras was never one for unnecessary conflict, especially by those living under the same roof. She would always try her hardest to please everybody, despite what she wanted.

As long as Integra kept Seras' name out of her mouth when speaking to Alucard, he saw no need in fighting with the woman like some sort of territorial dog. They stayed out of each other's way, and he took his frustration out on ghouls and FREAKs left over by Millennium. He was doing considerably well at maintaining his anger and the distance between him and Seras.

He had been back for a month, and the tensions that were high during his arrival had diminished immensely. His presence was now both normal and expected around the Hellsing Manor. Among servants, soldiers, and any Roundtable members or visitors. His presence was even feared by these people, which he took great pleasure in. He especially enjoyed sneaking into the training field while Seras was teaching the soldiers. He would set loose Baskerville, forcing Seras to shoot the huge dog. If she didn't manage to damage the Familiar, it would pounce on her and cover her in drool from its licking.

Sometimes, he would shoot at some of the soldiers, 'testing their reflexes'. Other times, he simply watched the training take place, his eyes following Seras' movements and marveling in her amazing ability to captivate an army and teach them, dictate their movements. Once, he had tripped a large soldier with his shadows, causing him to pull the trigger of his gun and shoot both himself in the foot and Seras in the chest. Seras turned around to Alucard immediately as he cackled at the scene. She just walked over to the soldier, making sure he was alright, and grabbed the machine gun from his hands. She lifted it and aimed towards his face, shooting his head until he fell to the ground, a pile of gore. All the men gasped at their Captain's anger and cowered before chuckling at the display. Alucard merely pulled himself together and smirked at the girl before leaving.

Now, he stood outside his Master's office door, impatient for the night to come. Integra opened the door, eyes hardening at the sight of the Count. He grinned at her. "May I come in?" She nodded and made way for him to enter. Closing the door behind him, he leaned against it and stared at his master. "I would like to ask for a favor." She chuckled.

"Oh? A favor, Alucard? I'm not too sure."

"Please, Master? I promise to be a good boy and not start any massacres." She smiled at him.

"What is it you want?"

"I would like to be able to spend the night in London. Seras asked for me to pick her up some things, and I'd enjoy a night in the city. That is, of course, if you can trust me." She contemplated his words for a moment.

"Well, Alucard, I suppose you can go. On one condition."

"Yes?"

"Be back here by 3 am. No later."

"Oh, is that my curfew, Integra?" Alucard laughed.

"As a matter of fact, it is. It is also Miss Victoria's."

"Fine. That's fine. I have permission, correct?"

"Yes. Go ahead." She ushered him out of her office with her hand. Alucard turned and phased out of the room, walking toward the front door.

* * *

Alucard strolled down a busy London street, bustling with teenagers, drug addicts, prostitutes, and shady looking business-men. All that passed him either averted their gaze quickly or held his stare. He could hear their pulses thumping, the blood running quickly through their veins. He could smell their fear as he grinned at them. He was a menacing man, and he knew it. With his height, his mannerisms, his deep voice, dark clothing, he knew he was intimidating, even to those who weren't aware of his identity. He loved it.

* * *

He sniffed the air as a strange scent filled his senses. _Vampire._ He recognized the smell to be that of one of Bathory's fledglings. He followed the smell down into an empty alley way. Walking down it, he took note of the fresh blood, trailing down the stone of the surrounding buildings. The smell was intoxicating, pure virgin blood. He trailed his finger along the blood, smudging the red stains. He heard the light sound of gravel being kicked. He traveled farther down the alley, the smell of the vampire and the human blood becoming thicker.

As he came to the end, he turned to his left to see another, shorter alley way. This one led to a brick wall. Leaning against the brick wall was a tall brunette girl, around 17. He recognized her as one of the fledglings. At the girl's feet was a small child, about 10 years old. Alucard walked slowly towards them, and the girl looked up, grinning.

"She said you'd find me." Alucard strolled up to the girl, stopping only a foot away from her. He looked down at her.

"Well, your smell is rather repugnant." The girl glared at him. "What are you doing in London?"

"Well, before you showed up, I was having a snack. Now that you're here, though," she reached into her back pocket and pulled out a large envelope, "I'm to give you this. It's from Madame Bathory. She was pleased to hear that you were looking to work with her." Handing the envelope to Alucard, she shook stray hairs out of her face.

Alucard inspected the envelope for several seconds before placing it in his jacket. "What's in this?"

"A letter. Madame will be expecting a reply." He nodded.

"What's your name?" She blinked at him slowly.

"My name is Catrina."

"And where are you from, Catrina?" She cocked her head at his question, but answered.

"I was born and raised in Ohio, back in the States. I ran away and managed to end up in France. I met Madame Bathory when I was 16, and she had me turned on my 17th birthday. That was two years ago, so not that long."

"And your family?"

"They were shit. They never paid any attention to me. No matter what I did, what I won, what I accomplished. They were homophobes, and kicked me out when I told them I was gay. I was only 15, those assholes. My mom told me she wished she'd aborted me. So I killed my dad, and made her watch before killing her." She giggled and examined her nails.

"Hmm." He kicked the corpse laying at her feet lightly. "And you honestly believed that becoming a creature of the night, damned for all time, was for the best? Doomed to be a monster until you eventually die and go to burn in the fires of hell. Yes, isn't that every little girl's fantasy?" She glared at him and growled. He wagged a gloved finger in front of her face. "Oh no. You don't want to do that. Have you forgotten who I am? I still technically have the order to kill you."

The girl paled a bit. "Then do it." Alucard laughed, the sound echoing in the empty alley.

"Oh no. You're much too much fun. I think I'll wait."

"That blonde girl, Seras Victoria, she's a vicious one, isn't she?" The man bristled, before narrowing his eyes at the girl.

"Why bring her up?"

"No reason in particular. I just saw her earlier tonight, beating some ghouls to puddles of gore. She seemed to enjoy it. Twisted, really. It's a little sad." Alucard smiled.

"She's wonderful, isn't she? I just wish I could have seen it myself. You know, she was only a bit older than you when I turned her. She'd grown up in Hell and lived through horrors you couldn't even imagine. Yet she never stopped fighting. As long as she's been alive, and even in her un-life, she's never given up. She's much better than you – as a vampire and a human." Anger bubbled in Catrina's eyes and he noticed. "You'd do well to look up to her. Honestly, killing children? How pathetic is that? They certainly don't make vampires like they used to. Honestly, Seras is far better a vampire than you and all of your brothers and sisters. You'd do well to show respect where it's due, Catrina."

"If she's so great of a vampire, why does she choose to work for Hellsing? Certainly she could've left." Alucard chuckled.

"Don't you have a bed time? You should probably start to go back home now."

"I'm supposed to stay in England until the twentieth."

"Why?"

"Well, Madame wanted me to stay to receive your reply. I wanted to stay to do shopping and sightseeing. I've only been to England once, last month, and we didn't even get to see anything cool."

"How am I supposed to find you?"

"I'm staying at some motel called St. Marks. Room 219. I'll probably be there." He studied her expression for a moment before turning around to leave. "Hey! What're you doing?"

"I've got other things to do tonight. I'm sure you do as well."

* * *

Alucard stood in the blinding fluorescent light of the shop. It was some 24-hour convenient store that had everything from booze to fresh produce. The vampire king was currently staring at hundreds of bottles of vivid nail polish, trying to decide which color his fledgling would appreciate the most. _How many shades of pink could there possibly be? There's dozens here!_

His eyes reached the numerous darker shades and he examined all of them. His eyes came across a deep purple shade and he picked it up. He brought the curvy glass bottle up closer to his face, turning it side to side and watching the paint shimmer in the light. _This would look lovely on her._

Satisfied with his choice, he turned to leave the store when a boy bumped into his chest, falling to the ground and dropping the merchandise in his arms.

"Damn mate, watch where you're going! Oh god, I think I broke my phone." Alucard stared down at the young man as he pulled the long device from his back pocket, still sitting on the ground. "Oh, never mind. It's fine. You're lucky. This phone cost me 400 quid. Cor, you're tall." The man started to pull his items back into his arms, leaving some on the floor, deciding they weren't worth the trouble. "You could'a helped me, you know, but it's ok."

The man had messy macadamia hair, falling just past his ears. He was short, barely taller than Seras. His voice was also fairly high, w _hiny._ Alucard noticed the hint of a diamond stud shining through his pale hair.

"Perhaps you should pay attention to your surroundings." The young man looked Alucard in the face, eyes narrowed. His eyes traveled down to Alucard's hand and he grinned.

"Is that for you? Or your bird? It's pretty, would go well with your skin tone." Alucard cocked his head. "Also, don't you know that only douche bags wear shades indoors? Especially at night. Ooh, maybe you're some tweaked out crackhead, buying nail polish for his imaginary babe!" The man's eyes were a deep hazel, green towards the pupils. His smile was wide as he laughed at the vampire.

Alucard leaned down, his glasses slipping slightly down the bridge of his nose, allowing his eyes to peak over. "How old are you?"

"22. Woah! Your eyes are awesome! Are those contacts?" The man leaned up on his tip toes to get a better glance at Alucard's eyes. Alucard pushed the glasses back up to their original place, covering his eyes once more.

"I haven't got any idea what you mean." The man gasped.

"You're a vampire! Right!"

"Why? Are you in the market for a bite?"

"My sister dated this one vampy prick, his eyes were red too."

"Are you insane?" Alucard chuckled. "You think I'm a vampire? Such things don't exist, little boy." Alucard moved to get past the young man, but he blocked his path. "Excuse me."

"Uh-uh. You're totally a vampire. Admit it. You're a blood sucking, sunlight fearing, demonic, womanizing monster with super sharp teeth! Let me see them."

Alucard stuttered for a moment, taken aback by the request. "See what?"

"Your teeth!" the man exclaimed. _What the hell is wrong with this boy?_

"No."

"So you admit it. You're a vampire." Alucard took a deep breath, pinching the bridge of his nose. _I can't kill him._

"Fine. I'm a vampire. Did you want me to drink your blood?" The man's face brightened in excitement.

"That's so fucking cool, mate! How many people have you killed? Have you ever been staked? Are you buying that for your vampire bride?" Alucard started walking on, followed by the young man. "Is she pretty? How old is she? How old are you? What's her name? What's yours? Mine's Jeremy." As hard as the vampire tried to ignore him, he couldn't.

"Please shut your mouth. She is not my _bride_ , I have been _staked_ , yes she is pretty, she's nearly 50 years old, and her name is Seras. Is that enough information for you, boy?" Alucard strolled up to the line forming at one of the registers, and Jeremy followed.

"What's your name though?" The vampire sighed.

"Alucard."

"That's a weird name. Haven't even heard of you. You famous?" They both moved forward, and Alucard placed the polish on the counter, watching the cashier ring it up.

"Very." The cashier called out the total and Alucard handed him the money, pocketing the polish.

"Hm. Nope, never heard of you." Alucard sighed once more, turning and walking towards the exit. "Wait!" He didn't. "Oh man. The cool people never like me."

* * *

The chilly breeze ran through Alucard's hair, tickling his skin ever-so-lightly as he sat on a sturdy wooden bench. The sky had turned cloudy, stars shrouded in the thick fog of them. He stared out towards the body of water in front of him. The air was salty as he breathed it in deep. He sighed as an exhale. _I wonder if Seras would like this view?_

He sat, watching the stars shift in the sky for a while before reaching into his jacket and taking out the letter Catrina had given him. He pealed open the pale envelope, removing the thick set of papers from inside. The words were scrolled in elegant loops and curves. _Is that… perfume?_ A sickeningly sweet floral scent crept up his nose, drifting off of the letter. He scrunched up his nose a bit before reading.

" _My dearest Vlad,_

 _I haven't heard anything from you for decades! I, as well as the vast majority of Nosferatu, were under the impression that you were dead – well, permanently, that is. Ah, I remember the time we spent together when I was younger. You never really did seem like a fan of me._

 _But here we are, and I am in a position of power over the great King. You want – no, you_ _ **need**_ _my help. And I am more than willing to give it to you._

 _We have a common interest. The death of Integra Hellsing and the dismantling of the Hellsing Organization are beneficial to the both of us. I, because I wish to acquire more power, and you, because you refuse to be a slave any longer. Am I correct? That can't have been easy for you, all those years. A King, turned into little more than a common slave. How sad!_

 _But now, you've had enough. You wish to be free and rise to your former glory and rightful throne. Just think, Vlad. We could rule together. My power and yours – it would be glorious! But you needn't decide on that right now. Now, we speak of the common interest._

 _I figure that with you and your power on my side, it will take virtually nothing at all to destroy the empire the Hellsing family built. All that needs to be done is the eradication of the Hellsing troops, those annoying little Roundtable dogs, and make sure the word of Integra's death spreads to all who need to hear it._

 _I will leave the planning to you, however, given your better experience in war than I. You can tell me all that you wish to be done and how you desire it to be done in your reply._

 _Oh! You've also got that chipper blonde fledgling of yours, don't you? Seras Victoria, right? Oh yes, she is definitely not a force to be trifled with. Powerful indeed. In fact, I'd say her power and strength may even rival my own. Well… not quite. But, she would be a good addition to our cause, don't you think? Or perhaps she is too loyal to the master she has grown close to. Would you be willing to fight against her? To hurt her? Kill her, even? It's definitely something to think about, don't you agree, Vlad?_

 _I hope to hear from you quickly, and I can't wait to see you once again! I'm sending you all my love and good wishes!_

 _Au revoir!_

 _Miss Elizabeth Bathory."_

Alucard sighed before tucking the letter and envelope back into his pocket and rubbing his eyes. _I hate that woman._ He stood, giving one last, long, stare towards the water and then the sky.

The clouds had passed fully over the moon, which was but a sliver in the black sky.

" _ **Alucard."**_ He heard his Master's voice ring out in his head. _**"You should be getting back now. It's late."**_ He obliged the woman's voice and turned away from the view.

Turning into a mass of writhing bats, he made his way back home. _It was a beautiful night._

* * *

"Maybe he's out on a date with a beautiful woman."

"Pip."

"You know, he's been gone a few hours now, maybe he went back to her place."

"Pip please."

"I wonder if he fucks and _then_ sucks or if it's the other way around?"

" **PIP!** " Seras screamed at the Captain sitting across the table from her. She wanted to throw the bowl of blood sitting in front of her at him, but she knew he'd just turn ghost-like again and it would go right through him. The man was laughing, slapping his knee as he leaned his chair back as far as he could without falling. His hat was tipped into his face, only showing the hint of his eye, glittering in the light of the kitchen.

"What? It's a good question! Don't you wonder? He has quite the reputation with the ladies, you know?" Seras blushed, hard. Her eyes widened and her jaw fell.

"No, Pip! I don't know, and I don't want to know about my Master's habits in bed!"

"You don't? Oh what a pity. You know, I was hoping on showing you someday," a deep voice purred in Seras' ear, making her freeze and causing Pip to jump slightly and curse in French. The girl turned and met her Master's grinning face as he was leaning down into hers.

"Master… I, uh, didn't know you were back yet. Ha…ha." Seras heard the nervousness in her breathy voice as she felt the heat growing in her cheeks. She turned her attention back to Pip and spoke through clenched teeth. "Why didn't you tell me, Pip?" He sputtered as he let his chair hit the ground and sat straight.

"I didn't know!" Seras watched as her Master sat at the seat at the end of the table closest to her, throwing his boots carelessly on the wood, crossing his legs. He brought his hat – _obnoxious, ugly red thing_ – down off of his head and laid it on the table next to his long legs. Seras sipped her blood, bringing the spoon to her mouth slowly.

She slurped the thick, cold liquid and remembered the feeling of Pip's warm blood flowing into her mouth. _I wonder if it feels like that every time? Is it better warm?_ She tried to push the thought out, but before she could, she felt a coldness brush against the thought. She turned to see her Master staring at her. Their gaze stuck for a few second before he spoke.

"Yes." She furrowed her brow.

"Yes what?"

"Blood is better when it's fresh. While it's certainly nice cold, it's always better fresh and warm. I personally prefer catching my meal myself. It's a much different experience when you feel your jaws ripping through their flesh. You can taste their fear, their adrenaline, every emotion. Much better than blood donations in cold packets." Pip stared at the older vampire in shock and mild disgust before blinking the words away and turning towards Seras. Seras, however, held her mouth open slightly, her fangs elongated. Her eyes were filled with need, and she felt herself quivering slightly. Her tongue darted out to wet her dry lips, her breath was quick and shallow, yet quiet.

She made a small noise that came out in a series of 'um's' and 'uh's' before clearing her throat and looking away from her Master quickly. She kept her gaze on the bowl of blood in front of her. "Obviously I've never experienced that, so I wouldn't know." Alucard hummed in acknowledgement.

"You will eventually." She snorted at his assured tone.

"The closest I've had to that is either vampire or ghoul blood, when I'm ripping them apart. No, actually, I did bite Heinkel once. That was horrible." Both of the men laughed at the face she made as she recalled the memory. She glared at them both.

"I remember that night! You had to have been gagging until dawn, trying to wash out your mouth with anything and everything."

"It was agony Pip! Don't laugh at me!"

"You'll enjoy the taste of fresh, human blood soon enough," her Master's voice spoke in a low tone, his voice silky through the air.

"Now, I certainly hope not. Alucard you're being a very bad influence on Miss Victoria." Alucard turned his body slightly to see Integra leaning against one of the kitchen counters.

"Well hello, Master. I didn't hear you come in." The woman strolled closer, picking up the vampire's hat and turning it around in her hands.

"That's rather unlike you." He smiled at her, eyebrows raising.

"We were all just having a very pleasant conversation. Care to join? Have you ever ripped some poor soul's throat out and drank their blood?" Integra's eye narrowed and she sat the hat back down.

"What time did you get back?"

"2:59." She chuckled at his cocky tone.

"Well, you did what I asked. I'm off to bed then. Oh, Seras, have you seen Vincent?" Seras lowered the empty spoon from her lips and swallowed the mouthful of blood. After licking her lips quickly, she answered.

"Actually, I think he just left."

"Left? Left where?" Pip answered for Seras.

"He said something about running out of some kind of tea or something like that." Seras narrowed her eyes at him.

"He just needed to pick some things up. He should be back before dawn." Integra gave Seras a small smile.

"Alright, well, I'm off to bed then. Good night Seras, Pip."

"Good night Sir!" Seras gave Integra a large smile as the woman turned around and left the kitchen. She looked over to Her master as he examined his gloves. "She never says good night to you, Master." His eyes stayed on his gloves.

"She doesn't exactly enjoy my presence as much as she does yours, Police Girl." She rolled her eyes and muttered something. His eyes snapped up to her. "What was that?" She took in a deep breath slowly, pushing the empty bowl away from her and turning to him.

"I said, no wonder she doesn't like you as much as she likes me." He sat up, placing his feet on the ground.

"Oh? And why is that?" Seras snorted once again.

"She likes me more because I'm sweet, I don't tend to be rude very often, I don't think I'm better than everybody else, and I don't try to rain my dominance over everybody else. Simple." Alucard laughed heartily.

"Trying to win over the affections of my Master, are you, Police Girl? Well you don't need to try very hard. It seems you've already got them." Seras shook her head, her brow furrowing.

"What do you mean?" Alucard stood and stretched, popping several bones back into place.

"Nothing. I'm going to sleep." He turned to exit before stopping abruptly and turning back to her. "Oh, I nearly forgot. Here." He took a few steps back towards her and placed a bottle of dark nail polish on the table. Seras' eyes widened slightly as she picked up the gorgeous bottle.

"Master this is a really pretty color! Thank you, I love it." He grunted in reply and left Seras and Pip in the kitchen.

Seras turned to Pip, who seemed to have fallen asleep, and spoke quietly. "I really didn't expect him to do it."

* * *

Back in her room, Seras sat on her bed, staring at her freshly painted nails. They stood out, dark and beautiful, against her pale skin. Her nails were long and filed into feminine ovals. Pip was asleep and she could feel his presence humming slightly in her mind, along with her Master's. Since their bond had strengthened, she had been teaching herself how to pay attention to that bond. She could tell when Alucard was awake, bored, asleep, angry, hungry, and close to her position. _Yet I hadn't noticed him earlier tonight. I need to work at it some more._

The wavelengths being sent by her Master were exhausting her. She was getting more and more tired, even though she didn't necessarily feel tired before she started concentrating on the bond. She yawned. _I wish Master would either go to sleep already, or stop being tired. This is unfair._

Her shadows flipped all the lights out in her room as she laid back in her bed, covering her body in the cotton sheets. While lying in bed, she couldn't help her thoughts from wandering. _It would be better if Alucard was lying beside me. I miss feeling his warm body, his strong arms wrapped around me, his breathing slowing down… I miss his lips, and feeling his hand in mine. I'm so confused. I want him, but I know I shouldn't. I know I can't have him right now. Maybe even ever. But I need him. Cor… This isn't fair. Hold on…_ The waves being sent from her Master were speeding up slightly. _He's doing something? Now?_

She prodded, creeping slowly along the line of their bond, into his mind. She pushed, gently, and there was no resistance. _That's odd. There's usually a wall or something._ She paused in her journey into his mind when she noticed that she couldn't hear anything. No thoughts, no memories floating by, no anything. _What's going on?_ She tried to get out of his mind, but couldn't leave, as if a hand had grabbed onto her, holding her in place. She started to panic. _Oh no! I'm stuck! What if I can never get out? Oh god._ Suddenly, another voice rang out.

" **What are you doing, Police Girl?"** She replied instantly in his mind.

"Absolutely nothing!"

" **Then why are you in my head?"** His voice was full of humor, for a reason Seras couldn't understand.

"I, erm, I wanted to see if I could… get… in."

" **Get in? So you wanted to see my thoughts?"**

"No! You just… I felt… You were just about to fall asleep a few moments ago, but now, you're suddenly awake. I was curious as to why, is all." There was a silence for a moment between the two vampires before Alucard spoke again.

" **You should go to sleep. Stop trying to read my mind. Next time, I'll force you to stay in here."**

"What does that mean?"

" **Would you like to find out?"**

"Oh. Um. No, Master, I suppose not. But..." she trailed off.

" **But what?"**

"Oh! Well, I just wondered if everything's alright?"

" **Hm?"**

"Like, do you feel… ok? Are you happy?" Laughter rang through the space.

" **Happy? Seras, happiness isn't real."**

"Yes it is."

" **Well then, I've just never felt it. Are you honestly concerned about whether or not I'm** _ **happy**_ **?"**

"Yes, Master. I truly am. You've been a bit distant lately."

" **Distant? I hadn't noticed."**

"Maybe you just need to kill something. Whenever I feel bad, if I go out on a mission and get to shoot something to bits, I always feel better!" Laughter tickled her mind once more.

" **Of course you do! You're a monster, Seras. Monsters live for carnage and destruction. But I don't think ripping apart ghouls would make me feel any better."**

"Then tell me what's bothering you. You can talk to me. Maybe I can help!"

" **Nothing is wrong. Stop pestering me about it and go to sleep."**

"No."

" **Do I need to come over there and make you?"** Seras thought for a moment.

"Yes." There was a long pause. "Master?"

" **Good morning Seras."**

"Good night, Master." With that, Seras felt herself being pushed out of Alucard's mind, softly, before being denied any further access. Being alone in her mind once more, she felt the soft tingling of her Master's mind. The waves had slowed down slightly, and Seras paid attention to them until she fell asleep.

* * *

Alucard sat in his room, pen in hand and paper sitting on his lap. He'd finished writing his reply to Elizabeth about twenty minutes after his fledgling's interruption. Realizing that his mind was moving so quickly and his thoughts were running so rapidly that they were affecting Seras, he'd paid attention to making sure the waves he was sending out were slower and more calm.

He sighed and read over his reply.

" _Elizabeth Bathory,_

 _I was delighted to hear from you so quickly. However, you would do well to not be so cocky. You hold absolutely no power over me, and if I must show you to help you understand that, I will._

 _And yes. I do wish to return to my throne, as I rightfully deserve. And I agree, I would benefit greatly from your help. It is time for the Hellsing name to be burned to the ground. I'm glad that we have the same opinion on the matter._

 _It shouldn't be very hard to take care of the soldiers. They're very skilled in combat, but they should be able to be taken down rather quickly with tenacious fighters. The Roundtable members are little more than young men who barely know how to shoot a gun. Integra, however, can command both I and my fledgling to protect the manor – and herself. Seras will definitely do all she can to protect the woman and the Hellsing name. She is very loyal to Integra, and the two have grown close in my absence, as you said. However, I do not know who she would choose if it so comes down to it._

 _I do know that if you dare tell one of your pathetic fledglings to target her, if she does not grind them to dust, I will. You know of her strength, and honestly, it would be rather foolish for you to send one of them to fight against her. They wouldn't stand a chance._

 _In the past, Hellsing's soldiers have been destroyed by a battalion of ghouls. I would believe that they now know how to fight against that. But I doubt they have done extensive training against hypnotism. I am not in a position to be able to hypnotize any of Hellsing's personnel. I have full belief in your abilities in the art, and as such, I believe you should be the one to do it._

 _If you so agree, you would be in charge of hypnotizing several soldiers into killing their own men. Make a few ghouls if you'd like. You should be able to handle that, right?_

 _Once the troops are taken care of, the only threats will be myself, Seras Victoria, Integra, and the Roundtable men. I am a threat because I have no doubt that my Master will command me to defend and fight against ghouls and vampires alike. Seras will defend whether or not the order has been given to her, but, as I said, I don't know if she is more likely to obey my orders over Integra, should I tell her to stop._

 _In regards to your questioning, no. I would not kill her, nor hurt her. I wouldn't have to, in any scenario. I am much stronger than her, and she understands that. She would never fight me with the intent of killing me. I doubt I would be put in a position where it was necessary to injure her._

 _The best day for the attack to take place would be the 14_ _th_ _of April. There is to be a Roundtable meeting set at approximately 7 pm, and the troops should show up about an hour before. Not much is necessary other than brute forces, ghouls, and vampires. As many as you'd like._

 _It shouldn't be too difficult a goal to accomplish – destroy everything and everyone. We will burn their name into the ground."_

* * *

 **February 14…**

Catrina strolled back into the room she'd rented at the sleazy motel, slightly blood-drunk. She giggled as she thought of what her Sire would do to her if she knew of her inebriation and reckless feeding. Elizabeth was never stingy or stern when it came to feeding from humans. They'd kidnapped, murdered, tortured and blackmailed for blood – and for fun. Killing was no issue for the elder vampire.

She stumbled over to the large bed in the middle of the small room. Falling into the fluffy, stained sheets and pillows, she closed her eyes.

She felt a soft breeze blow through her hair, and her eyes fluttered open. She sat straight up in the bed and looked to the direction of the chilly air. No windows were open, and the door was closed. No sign of anything breezy. She shook her head groggily and stood up, scratching her head and walking into the bathroom.

She turned on the light, nearly blinding herself and hissing in distress. Once recovered from the brightness, Catrina stared at her reflection. Her black rimmed eyes were now more similar to a raccoon than a supermodel, mascara, eyeliner, and black eyeshadow alike, running down her face. Her lipstain was faded and slightly smudged, a deep plum around her pale lips. She looked like shit and she knew it. _Damn. I used to be so hot. This must be what washed up pop stars feel like._ She took a minute and tasted her mouth. She smacked her tongue against the roof of her mouth before furrowing her brow.

"Ugh. I bet I taste like one too. Damn good idea of me to bring my toothbrush!" She leaped out of the bathroom and bounded to her suitcase. She rummaged through the rainbow of slutty clothing that was her suitcase. _Thong, thong, pasties, corset, mini skirt, mesh top, fishnets, bodycon dress, fucking Christ, where is it?_ She dumped out the entire case on the bed, pushing pantyhose and lacy tops out of the way before finding what she needed with a smile.

She brought everything to the bathroom, standing in front of the mirror again. She opened the bottle of whiskey and poured some on the soft toothbrush. She decided to take a swig of it too, and swished it around in her mouth a few seconds before swallowing and placing the toothbrush in her mouth. _Bad bitches only brush their teeth with booze. Jesus, no wonder I can't get a rich girlfriend._

After she finished brushing, she washed off the excess makeup stains from her skin. She tied her messy hair back into a lumpy ponytail and cracked her spine in a long stretch. Rubbing her eyes, she walked to the window.

The only window in the small room was right next to the door. The view was of the other side of the motel. _And tonight, on crack-whore watch, we see a wild hooker, trying to feed her 14 kids._ Yawning, she turned from the shimmering lights of passing cars and other rooms, and leaned against the door. She unbuttoned the tight leather skirt she squeezed herself into, slipping it off of herself. Reaching up into her crop top, she ripped off the constricting push-up bra wrapped around her chest. _Why do I wear these things? My tits are non-existant._

Comfy and dressed to be lazy, she walked over to the lamp on the bedside table to turn it off. When she reached it, her eyes traveled down the base of the lamp to the table itself, where an unmarked envelope sat. "Where did this thing come from?"

She picked it up, her red nails standing out against the white envelope. She sniffed it and recognized the scent to be that of Alucard's. _Death, wine, blood, and cologne. You know, pretty sophisticated. But what else should I expect from a 600 year old King?_ She read over the letter he'd written in elegant handwriting.

"Hm. Wait… How the fuck did this get in here?! Did he come in here while I was asleep? Perve." Her face scrunched up in disgust at the thought. _That old creep. I told him to just knock on the fucking door._

She sent a text to her Sire, telling her that she had received Alucard's reply. And that she planned on sight-seeing for a few more days.

"I'm gonna get laid at least once here. I swear it."


	18. Impulsive

**Ferne's Thoughts:** I've been binging on Crunchyroll for the past four days. Parasyte is amazing, like why have I not heard of it before? XXX WARNING: the following chapter contains adult content of a sexual nature. Read on, if you dare. MWAHAHA!

*** _I don't own Hellsing or Hellsing's universe. I only own my OC's and my jumbled thoughts! ***_

* * *

 **February 19…**

Seras watched in admiration as Alucard mowed down the hordes of ghouls surrounding them. He turned towards her slightly and grinned, shooting one right behind her. She felt the bullet fly past her rapidly, and before she could even blink, he was right in front of her.

"Has something caught your attention, Police Girl?" He lifted a long arm over her head and shot three shots in a quick succession. Seras felt the heat of a blush filling her features as she turned her back to him and started shooting the remaining ghoul horde.

She had her aim on an older woman, moaning and clawing closer to her face. She felt the warm, putrid breath on her face. Her finger was on the trigger, itching to pull it. As she was about to shoot it, she felt her gun lock. "What the hell?"

She tried to pull the trigger, but it wouldn't work. She tried and tried but it just wouldn't budge. She felt the claws of the ghoul tear into her face as she screamed. Before she could do anything, dozens of ghouls crawled over her and pinned her to the ground. She felt the flesh being ripped and bitten from her body, bones crunching under the weight of all the ghouls. She cried out and kicked at the ghouls, moving some of them. She ripped her arm out of several mouths, causing her flesh to be torn from her bones. Clawing at them, she swung her head back and forth, her hair in their grasps.

The anger creeped up in her, and she growled. Her shadows came up behind her, taking the form of a scythe. She chopped down several ghouls, breaking their hold on her. Their rancid blood covered her face, and as the ash fell, she felt it stick to her flesh. She heard gunshots surrounding her and realized that Alucard was helping her. _I can take care of myself, dammit!_ Her fury bubbled higher in her chest, and she started ripping apart the ghouls snapping their jaws at her.

She pulled jaws apart, teeth gouging her flesh. She impaled worthless ghouls on her own hands. She grabbed them between her own jaws, tearing their throats out with her teeth. She screamed in anger, her hands slashing rapidly, mowing down the horde. Her claws dug through flesh, muscle, bone. Blood dripped down her arm and into her sleeve. Her vision grew blurry, and she could hear somebody calling her name, but she paid no attention to it. All of her energy went toward the ghouls and destroying them.

It was as if she was in a trance, but she couldn't stop. _Blood lust. I love it._ She growled and continued her carnage. As she was about to claw into the head of a ghoul, it exploded in a cloud of ash and blood. Somebody shot it.

Seras snapped out of her blood lust and turned around to see Alucard staring at her, arm outstretched and gun smoking. Her eyes widened and she stalked over to him, shadows swishing around her feet. "How dare you?! I was going to kill it! Why did you do that? What the hell!?"

Alucard looked down at Seras, her wide eyes filled with fury and disbelief. His breath was shallow, and he tried to maintain his composure. _God, she looks so delicious. So bloodthirsty, so gorgeous. My little Seras…_ He watched the entire display, caught in a trance.

The way she tore through the ghouls made his chest ache, and he longed for her. Every time she tore one apart, he felt himself harden further. He wanted her. He wanted to watch her all night. At first, he was worried that she would be injured by the ghouls; too much to continue to defend herself. But she prevailed, and he felt equal amounts of pride and lust shoot through his body.

And now, he felt his pants become tight as he stiffened and grew inside them. Seras was panting in front of him, her eye twitching. "What? No answer, Master? So you just decided to be an asshole for no reason?" He was lost in her eyes, and just barely managed to dodge the punch she threw at him. She fell to the ground, huffing and growling.

"You were wasting time. We have a vampire to take care of. You can't sit here and play with ghouls all night. Come on." He turned away from her and adjusted himself to a more comfortable position in his pants. Walking, he waved his gun at her. "And if you ever try to hit me like that again, you'll pay for it." He walked on, the swift pitter-patter of Seras' boots close behind him, catching up. When she reached his side, she gasped.

"Where's my gun? I loved that gun! Penny? PENNY?" He stopped and looked to her, as her head went in all directions quickly.

"You named your gun… Penny?"

"Yes."

"You know it can't reply, don't you?"

"Yes Master, I realize that. I just really love Penny." Her voice was anxious and quick. He sighed and pulled one of his guns out, handing it to her.

"Don't bother looking for it. This one's better." He saw her eyes widen as she calmed down. She stared at the large gun in his hand.

"And just where am I supposed to put it?" He winked at her and grinned.

"I'm sure you can find a place." She squealed slightly as he grabbed her hand and placed the gun in her palm.

"It's… Heavy. And obviously made for you." She lifted up the gun and he chuckled at the extremely unproportioned sight.

"You'll get used to it."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, if you intend on keeping it, you might as well learn how to use it. And only practice can help that."

"You're giving me your gun?" He nodded and walked on.

"Come on, Police Girl. The vampire's over here somewhere." He could smell the peppery scent of an artificial vampire.

"Master?"

"Hush." He pulled her to his side and draped his arm around her. "Don't scare them away now." He felt her nod and squeezed her tighter.

The came across a man sitting on a rotting wooden bench, looking up at the moon. The man was speaking to himself and petting something.

" _What's he doing?"_ Seras' light voice rang out in Alucard's head.

" _ **I haven't the faintest idea."**_ They crept closer to the man. Alucard let go of Seras and moved to the front of the man.

* * *

He looked at the man and saw that the thing the man was petting was a severed head. The head looked to be that of a young girl. He was whispering something to either himself or the head.

"We're gonna be together again soon, love. Don't worry. I'll see you real soon. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm so very sorry."

Seras tried to crane her neck around to see everything that was going on, but Alucard shook his head at her. The man didn't seem to be alerted to Alucard's presence, so he spoke.

"Who is that?" The man looked up with wide eyes at first, before they drooped back down.

"Lilly. She was my Lilly. But she's gone now. And now I'm going to join her."

"I don't think you'll be going to the same place as your little Lilly there." The man laughed and nodded.

"I don't think so either." Alucard was about to shoot the man, but before he could, the man reached up with his own gun and shot himself in the head. Alucard stepped back quickly and Seras shrieked in surprise.

Alucard growled before shooting the vampire's corpse as it turned to ash. He shoved his gun back into his jacket before stalking away angrily, leaving Seras to catch up with him.

"That's so pathetic. Fucking ridiculous." His voice was a snarl and Seras jogged to keep up with him as his long legs walked swiftly.

"Master, please slow down. I can't keep up."

"I really hate it when they do that. Has that happened to you? They just decide that they can't die like men. Absolutely fucking pathetic."

"Master, if I calmed down, you can calm down. It was just one vampire!"

"No. That… _thing_ isn't fit to be called a vampire. And, I am calm, Seras. Do not tell me to calm down. I'm not a child!" Alucard's voice was cold and cruel, nearly a yell. She didn't care though. Seras stepped in front of him quickly and placed her hands on his chest. He stopped walking and looked down at her.

"Please. It was nothing. He was nothing. It's not a big deal, so just move on and get over it. Worrying about something that has absolutely nothing to do with you is what a child would do. So don't. When you act like this, it's such a turn off." He bristled at her words. She winked at him and his eyes widened slightly.

"Is there a reason I should care about what turns you on or off?" She smiled sweetly at him before answering.

"Most people would kill for that kind of information about me."

* * *

Seras' shadows swarmed to her feet, lifting her up off the ground and closer to her Master's height. She placed her hand on his chest, and it traveling to his neck. She leaned in and kissed his cold cheek gently, before looking him in the eyes. "Calm down, alright? Everything's ok. Just focus on me." She saw his eyes narrow slightly and flutter between her lips and her eyes.

"What are you doing?" His voice was slow and silky, confusion and anticipation laced into every word. She felt his muscles tense underneath her hand and she tangled her fingers in his hair gently. Her cheek rubbed against his as she continued to try to calm him down. She could feel his anger fading out and she continued petting him.

She started laying little kisses on his jawline, inching closer to his lips. She felt his hand reach around and lay on her waist. _Why isn't he stopping me? Why am I doing this? Well, at least it's working. I should be a therapist! I need to kiss him again._ She felt herself tremble slightly as her Master's hand caressed her waist. She placed little kisses, leaving a trail close to his lips. She pulled back to look into his eyes, but they were closed. _What if he doesn't want to kiss me? What if he pushes me away?_

Gathering all of her courage and throwing her insecurities out of her body, she leaned forward and pressed her lips to his. His mouth pushed against hers, warmth spreading throughout Seras' chest as she continued to kiss him. It was as if their lips were molded to fit each-others, and they kissed continuously. Her chest pushed against him, and he pulled her in close to him, his arm tightening around her. Butterflies fluttered throughout her stomach, and she pulled his head closer, deepening the kiss. Her fingers twisted his hair around themselves, and she moaned lightly against his mouth. He returned the sound after several seconds. She felt his teeth poke into her lip lightly, cutting her mouth and causing her to bleed slightly. He pulled back and darted his tongue out, licking the blood away from her lip and chin slowly. Seras quivered and moaned lightly as he licked his lips and looked back to her eyes.

"Mm. I don't think I'll ever get used to the sweetness of your blood." He blinked slowly, removing his hand from her waist and brushing dark hair out of his eyes. Seras thought she saw his gloves glowing but when she blinked, they weren't. She brushed the thought away as she heard him clear his throat. "We should go." Looking back at him, she nodded and smiled.

"Oh, yeah." Her shadows lowered her to the ground again, and took the form of her left arm once more. Alucard started to walk, taking shorted strides than usual. _He must be waiting for me to catch up._ She jogged over to him and started to walk alongside him. She looked to the sky. The stars were twinkling in the black night-time sky, no moon in sight. She sighed. "I love nights like this."

Alucard looked up to the sky as well for a moment before turning to Seras. "There's nothing to look at." She met his gaze and smiled sweetly.

"There's a lot more to look at in the sky than the moon, Master. I love the darkness." She sighed once more and looked to the sky absently as they walked. "It feels so freeing to be in it. To run, walk, fly… It always makes me feel… free. It's so beautiful. I especially love it when there are clouds as well. Oh, and the smell of flowers and grass and nature is always better in darkness. The chill is nice as well." She heard Alucard hum in reply. She turned back to look at him again, her gaze falling to his hand. _I wonder what he'd do if I tried to hold his hand right now? God, I'm such a little girl._

She lifted her hand a few times, before laying it back down at her side. She finally decided to go for it, like she had with the kiss. She coiled her hand inside her Master's and she felt him pull back slightly.

"Seras?"

"Yes?"

"What are you doing?"

"I wanted to hold your hand." She heard him chuckle at her and glared at him.

"Hold my hand? Are you a child?" His voice was full of humor as he teased her.

Seras flipped her hair slightly. "Compared to you? Yes." His chuckling turned into authentic laughter, and she giggled along with him.

"In that case, here." His fingers entwined between hers, and Seras felt victorious. He squeezed her hand lightly and she giggled, a smile plastered on her face. They walked for several minutes in silence before Alucard spoke. "Do you truly enjoy the darkness that much?" She nodded.

"Yes, I always have. Even before you turned me. The night always seemed so magical to me. Free and mysterious. I was never afraid it though, not like other people." She felt a warmth in her hands, from the second she touched them. She ignored it though, figuring that his hands were just warm. But she decided to look down to their hands.

She saw the runes and symbols on his otherwise white gloves glowing brightly. Her eyes opened wide, and she gasped slightly, causing Alucard to look to her.

"Is something wrong?" She looked up to him, her face contorted in confusion and she stopped walking.

"Your gloves! They… they're glowing. Doesn't that only happen when you do something Sir Integra doesn't want you to? When you disobey orders?" She didn't give him a chance to speak, instead, she spoke quickly. "But doesn't that mean it's burning you? Why is that happening? Master, doesn't that hurt? Are you ok?" Her voice was shrill as her panic grew. She gasped again. "Oh my god! It's me!" She pulled her hand from his. "I wasn't imagining it all those other times. Oh god… It's my fault!"

Alucard's eyes were wide as he stood there in silence, his mouth hanging open slightly. He reached for her and spoke as she stood, looking as though she were about to cry. "Seras. Seras, it's nothing. Don't pay any attention to it."

"But it's-"

"No. Stop. Yes, it's because of you, but I don't care. It doesn't bother me."

"Integra hates the thought of us together so much she forbid you from being with me? Is that it?" He pondered the statement for a second before answering.

"Yes. But it doesn't matter to me, alright? I can handle it." Seras shook her head, tears forming in her eyes.

"No. It's my fault. I'm so, so sorry!" She ran away, her shadows forming a pair of wings behind her as she took to the skies. _Oh god. No wonder he's been avoiding me. I'm so stupid. I need to talk to Integra._ She held the tears back, and took deep breaths of the cold air as she flew closer to the manor. _I need to calm down. Calm down Seras, calm. Relax._

* * *

"Integra! We need to talk!" Seras' voice rang through the manor, scaring servants and soldiers alike. She was angry, angrier than she'd been in a while. _How_ _ **dare**_ _she try to dictate my life?! How dare she think she can control me?!_ She stood in the foyer, fuming and shadows writhing. The Heiress walked down the stairs looking at Seras in confusion.

"What on earth is going on here, Seras?" The young girl walked forward, shadows flicking at anybody who came close.

"You told Alucard that he isn't allowed to touch me? Kiss me? _Be with me?_ How could you?!" Her voice was a growl, forcing its way out of her throat. Pip appeared at her side, alerted by the hostility.

"Ma cher, what's the matter? Calm down!" Her shadows flicked out at him, nearly slicing his head off. "Zut alors!"

"Well?" Seras snarled at Integra. " **ANSWER ME!** " Integra sighed, and Alucard phased through the front door, directly behind Seras.

"Yes, Seras. Alucard has been forbidden from maintaining or creating an inappropriate relationship with you."

"And that includes touching me? Kissing me? Holding my bloody hand?! What the hell?!"

"Seras, calm down. If you don't, I'll be forced to-"

"To what? Sic my Master on me?" Integra's eye went wide at Seras' brazen words. "I just want to talk, Sir." Vincent came down the stairs, gun in hand. He stopped next to Integra, his dark eyes roaming the expanse of Seras' form, assessing the situation before speaking.

"Miss Victoria. I'm sure everything can be taken care of calmly, now, if you would be so kind as to… Erm… Put those away. Surely you don't want to hurt anybody." He motioned to the whispy shadows around the room. Seras stood for a moment, breathing slowly before sighing and bringing the shadows back into the shape of her arm. "Good. Now, why don't we go to Sir Integra's office and we can talk about whatever you want."

Integra's eye flicked to Alucard, standing behind Seras, a concerned look on his face. She glared at him, yelling into his mind. _**"This is your fault."**_ He raised his eyes from his fledgling to his Master, arching his eyebrow slightly and sighing. He looked away and phased out of view.

* * *

Seras sat in Integra's office. The tension was threatening to suffocate the both of them as Integra spoke. "Now, can we please have a conversation?" Seras clucked her tongue before replying.

"I suppose so, Sir." Integra sighed.

"What's going on, Seras? What's gotten into you?" The vampire giggled, the sound high and airy.

"What's gotten into me? Sir, I've come to the realization that everybody besides me is making decisions for me! You don't have the right to say who can show me affection! I love him, and I can't even show him without causing him pain? If you're trying to punish him, it's not working. All you're doing is hurting _me_ , Sir." Integra was caught off guard at Seras' words. "I just want to be in control of _something in my life._ It's not fair, Sir." Her tone had gone from icy and biting to soft and sad. It made Integra's chest ache.

"Seras, please. I'm trying to protect you."

"Well, I think I can protect myself."

"Exactly. You _think_ you can." The Heiress sighed. "I'm doing it for you, Seras. I don't want to see him hurt you. I will not change my orders to him. The bonds will remain, and he shall obey the rules placed upon him or he will be punished. I don't know how else to make you understand." Seras turned away from her.

"I guess you can't."

"Seras, I really didn't want things to come to this."

"To what?"

"I have to punish you." Seras' head shot up.

"Punish me? For what?"

"You were blatantly disrespectful and threatened my men." Seras was silent for a moment.

"What is my punishment, Sir?"

"You will not be allowed on any missions for two weeks."

"But what is Master needs my help?"

"Alucard is perfectly capable of taking care of himself. He is a 600-year-old immortal vampire, Seras. I'm positive he can kill a few vampires and ghouls. But that's not all."

"Oh?"

"You will be in charge of filing reports, reading over mission statements, looking over finances, and getting in touch with any news stations who may report on damages done to any possible places or communities. You know what Hellsing does." Seras looked panicked.

"Yes, but you and Vincent have always done that! And before Vincent, it was you and James, and before that, you and Walter! I've never done any of that. I wouldn't know where to start." Integra smirked.

"I'm sure you can figure things out. Besides, it's your punishment. You will do it, or I will find something worse."

"Worse like what?"

"Well, I could put you in charge of troop 2 as well as your current one to train."

"Please Sir! Troop 2 is full of idiots and all the men are so _vulgar._ They always harass me. They're worse than the Wild Geese were!"

"You wouldn't like to train them?"

"No."

"Well then there you go."

"What?"

"That is your punishment. Every night, instead of going on missions, you will train troop 2 and its rude men." Integra laughed cruelly as Seras pleaded. "Oh no, no, Seras! This is what you get!" The woman ushered the distressed vampire out of her office quickly.

She leaned back against the door, wiping the sweat from her brow. _It seems as though I've diffused that bomb for now. She's so confusing sometimes. One moment she's about to cry in my office and broods about having no control, the next she's begging me not to make her work with rowdy soldiers._ She sighed aloud. _Vampires are such confusing creatures. Thinking of such, I ought to have a chat with her master now._

"Alucard, come here."

* * *

As Seras walked, she felt an annoying resistance in her left boot. Bending, she remembered Alucard gave her one of his large guns. Pulling out the Jackal, she held the cold metal of the gun in her hands. Smiling, she held it to her chest protectively. "I still miss Penny, but I'm sure I'll love you just as much."

Walking down the stairs, Pip appeared by her side. "Are you done throwing your little fit?" She glared at the man's smirk.

"Pip, please don't start with me. I already had Integra punish me, I'm probably going to get punished by my Master, I really don't need you to mess with me." He furrowed his brow.

"Integra punished you? Details please." He winked at Seras' side long glance and she made a disgusted sound.

"Bloody pervert."

"Come on, just tell me what she did to you!" She stopped walking and faced him, gun still in her hand. She waved it for emphasis as she spoke.

"She's forcing me to train troop 2 every damn night. As well as troop 3, like usual. It's ridiculous! As if I don't already have to live with you, now I have to be harassed by those disgusting, greasy little boys! It's not fair Pip!" Pip stared at her silently for a moment, before exploding in a fit of laughter. Seras whined in frustration. "Pip! Stop it!" Pip spoke between laughs.

"Seras! You know they all talk about you and your assets anyway! Every one of those men want you. Some are more afraid than others, but still. Troop 2 just doesn't understand why everyone else is afraid! All you have to do is make them fear you. They'll leave you alone." He placed his hand on her shoulder and leaned in close. "Besides, I bet if it was good old Mr. Alucard giving you that attention, you wouldn't mind." She gasped and he placed a wet kiss on her cheek. Seras moved to slap him, but he disappeared before the hit could land. His voice whispered in her head, "I'm going to go spy on your Master and Integra. I'll fill you in later if you ask nicely."

Seras gave a small smile. _He really is my best friend._

* * *

"My Master?" Alucard stood in the center of Integra's office as she walked to her desk from the door. He could feel his fledgling's presence moving farther away from his location. He focused his attention back on Integra as her voice came through the silence of the office.

"Tell me what happened tonight." He cocked his head.

"Well, with all due respect, I've already written a report on the mission. It wasn't anything special." Integra exhaled slowly, pinching the bridge of her nose.

"I _meant_ between you and Seras. What did you tell her?" Alucard bristled. His Master's voice was harsh and stern. _I bet she makes her soldiers shake in their boots when she uses that voice._ He smirked.

"I was upset and she calmed me down." Integra raised her eyebrows.

"And how did she manage to do that?" He hummed for a moment, before taking a seat in one of the chairs, crossing his legs.

"My little Draculina seems to have that effect on me. Perhaps she uses some form of hypnotism. I haven't the faintest idea." His words flowed out sardonically, fueling the fire in Integra.

"Cut the bullshit, Alucard. Tell me what happened. Now." He was silent a moment before laughing heartily.

"Now, now, my Master! No need to be so cruel. I'll tell you." He stared into her eye for several seconds. "She kissed me."

"Oh?" She pursed her lips.

"Mm. It was very nice. Oh! I could show you, if you'd like." Integra's eye narrowed.

"That won't be necessary. Just tell me." He nodded slowly, a smirk growing on his features.

"Would you like all the details?"

" _Alucard."_ He threw his hands up, feigning insult.

"Don't worry. I'll keep it appropriate!" He adjusted himself in the chair, folding his hands in his lap. "She kissed me. It was an amazing, passionate kiss. Her fingers were tangled in my hair, chest pressed against me, moaning into my lips." He saw her furious glare. "This was all after we had finished the mission, and Seras wanted to walk back here. I decided to indulge her, and as we walked, she decided she wanted to hold my hand."

"Hold _your_ hand? Ridiculous." Alucard nodded in agreement.

"I was just as shocked as you. But, I do love having my little Seras in my hands." _I hope this is digging into her skin._ He grinned. "Eventually, she noticed my gloves and asked me about it. Well, she didn't quite give me the chance to answer any of her questions, she was so frantic. I told her all about the rules placed upon me and she got upset. I told her not to worry, but she wouldn't listen. She kept crying about how "it was her fault" or something. Then she flew away." He paused for a moment before voicing his inner thoughts aloud. "In all honesty, it was impressive. She looked rather graceful as she did it as well. She may be the best thing I've ever created." Coming back to his senses, he looked back to his Master. "Well, anyway. That's all that happened."

Integra stared at her servant for a while before nodding. "Well, if that is true, you disobeyed my orders." His eyebrows raised.

"I suppose."

"Seeing as how I already punished Miss Victoria, it only makes sense to punish you as well." He brought a gloved hand up and ran it through his hair.

"What did you do to her?" She tapped on her desk.

"Something she'll hate." Her tapping abruptly stopped. "And you're going to get even worse."

"Ooh, please, have mercy on my soul, Master!" Alucard called out, laughing. Integra glared at him before smirking.

"You have to help her."

"Help her what?"

"I put Seras in charge of an extremely rowdy group of soldiers. She has worked with them before, but found them too rude to continue. You will train them alongside her. I'm sure she'd appreciate the assistance." He furrowed his brow.

"My punishment is… being around Seras? You've sure lost your touch, Integra." She chuckled, adding to his confusion.

"Oh no, Alucard. That's not all. You are, of course, aware that you're forbidden from killing the soldiers?"

"Of course."

"Good. Remember that when you are assisting Seras. Seras is also to not go on any missions for the coming week, so you'll be on your own for the most part. Aside from any men we send in with you." He nodded. "In fact, I think I'll give Vincent the chance to accompany you." Alucard cringed and wrinkled his nose.

"Vincent? The butler? What experience does he have?"

"Do you not remember when he nearly blew your head apart? Vincent is an incredibly skilled soldier. I'm positive he can keep up with you on a mission." The vampire scoffed. "Now, if I find out that you are disobeying my orders again Alucard," she pointed a finger towards him, "I will separate the two of you. I'll ship Seras off to America if I have to. Watch. Yourself." He blinked slowly before clearing his throat.

"You wouldn't do that." She nodded.

"Perhaps not. But I will lock you back in your little room for another 20 years. I swear to you." His eyes widened and the runes on his gloves glowed and singed his flesh. "Now, you're not thinking of hurting me, are you?" Integra laughed cruelly at the vampire and he growled.

"You are much more sadistic than you'd like people to know, aren't you?"

"Oh, that's precious coming from you."

"I've never claimed to be anything else, my Master. What do you think Seras would say if she knew of your threats?" Integra's eye widened.

"Out!" Alucard chuckled, bowing his head and standing. He phased through the floor and leaving his laughter to taunt his Master.

* * *

 **Several Hours Later...**

Seras lathered the strawberry scented shampoo through her wet hair, relaxing in the hot waters of the shower. She sniffed the fruity scent in, smiling widely. Washing out the soapy bubbles from her hair, she thought about Alucard.

 _I wonder if it's any different being a vampire like him. If I did drink his blood, what would it feel like? What would change? I wonder what he tastes like… I bet he's bitter, but sweet. I bet he tastes amazing._ She licked her lips. _I hope he's not angry with me. Now that I know about his restrictions, I'm going to watch myself around him. I don't want him to have to suffer because of me. He's already gone through so much, I just want him to be happy and content. I don't need his love, or kisses, or any of that trivial business. All I need is for him to be happy._ She scrubbed the last bit of shampoo out of her hair. _Well, as happy as Master can be._

After scrubbing her body, she turned off the water and stepped out of the large shower. Using her shadows, she pulled a towel to herself. Drying off, she thought out loud. "If I drink his blood, what will he have me call him? Alucard? Or…" her eyes widened and she spoke the last bit with awe, "his real name? V…Vlad?" She put on a pair of lacy night shorts, a silky camisole over her torso. Stepping out of the bathroom, hair still damp and steam pouring out, she heard a deep voice.

"Did I hear my name, Police Girl?" She jumped slightly, water dropping off the ends of her hair.

"Master! W… what are you doing?" She offered him a sheepish smile. He was sitting in a chair at her table, in the middle of her room. "Did you move my table?" He nodded, placing his feet on it.

"I was passing through when I heard my name. So, I came in and decided to make myself comfortable. So," he turned to her, eyes narrowed, "why did you say my name?" She cleared her throat, moving to sit at the table.

"I was just wondering what I'm supposed to call you if I… Once I drink your blood." He raised his eyebrows.

"You plan on drinking my blood?" She chuckled slightly at his amazed tone.

"Well, one day. I don't want to have to call you 'Master' for the rest of my life. I'd like to be able to call you something else, eventually." Nodding, he replied.

"You'll call me Vlad." Her eyes darted to meet his.

"Can I say it?"

"Hm?"

"Can I, like, call you that? Just once? Now?" She felt a blush rising on her cheeks.

"Vlad?"

"Yeah, you know, instead of 'Master'?" She saw his eyes light up slightly, and an authentic smile grow on his face, highlighting his features.

"Once." She smiled as well, and took a moment to ponder her next words. She came to a conclusion.

Standing up, she walked behind him, placing her hands on his shoulders. She leaned in close to his ear, his hair tickling her cheek. She nipped his ear lobe before speaking. "Would you like to sleep with me today, _Vlad?_ "

Her words flowed out silkily, and he shivered involuntarily, both at the sensuality of Seras' actions and words, and at the use of his real name in such a way by his Childe. He cleared his throat, turning to face her. She had a goofy smile on her face, clearly trying not to laugh. He arched an eyebrow at her, and she immediately broke down into laughter.

"Oh, Master, I'm sorry! It's just so funny." He furrowed his brow.

"What is?"

"I can't believe I said that. I feel ridiculous." She looked around, catching her breath. Calming down, she sat on her bed. "Ok, I feel better now. I don't know why that was so funny to me." He continued staring at her. "I was being serious though. I really do want to know."

Stretching in the chair, he replied. "If you'd like." _It's not disobeying her orders. We're just sleeping._

Seras jumped up and walked over to him. "Really?" He smiled.

"Really. Yours or mine?" She thought for a moment.

"Mine. My blankets are so soft." Nodding, he looked to the clock, which he placed on her vanity.

"4:38. Are you tired yet?"

"Sort of." She walked over to the bathroom and turned the light off. "Are you?"

"Not yet."

"Ok. What do you want to do?" She walked over to the main switch in her room, turning off the bright overhead light, leaving them in darkness. As suddenly as they were in blackness, a dull candle flame illuminated their surroundings.

"Why don't you like troop 2?" She sat in the chair across from him, and a cringe came over her face.

"They're bastards."

"Oh? How so?" She sighed, waving her hand in front of her face.

"They are so rude. You know, it's one thing to have you or Pip teasing me about my body, but to have over 20 men disrespecting me and harassing me? I can't handle it. It's so humiliating. And once one of them starts, they all join in. Stupid, fucking idiots. I almost _want_ to teach them incorrectly, just to watch them get torn apart by ghouls." Alucard grinned at her gruesome thought. Jealousy and possessiveness burned inside him, but he brushed it off. _I'll wait until I see what they do in person._

"You'd abandon an entire troop of men just because they enjoy your body? How cruel, Police Girl." She glared at him.

"Why do you ask, anyway?"

"Oh, Integra ordered me to assist you in training them." She brightened.

"Really? Oh, thank god. At least they should be afraid of you. But why did she do that?"

"It's my punishment. That and having to go on missions with," he spat the last word out, "Vincent." Seras cocked her head.

"Vincent's great on missions. He's got an amazing aim."

"Is that so?" He grumbled under his breath. Seras yawned. "Are you ready to sleep?"

"If you are." He smiled at her, nodding. She bounced up, walking to her bed and cuddling up in the blankets, patting the spot next to her.

* * *

Alucard stripped off his red coat, unbuttoning his vest. Slipping off his boots, he stretched once before taking up the space next to his fledgling. Seras turned on her side, pushing her bottom into him. She wriggled against him, getting comfortable.

"Put your arm around me, Master."

"Seras…"

"Please, there's nothing wrong with that, is there?" He sighed and obliged, wrapping one of his long arms around her slender waist. He let his thumb caress her stomach and her fingers press into her soft flesh. He heard a light moan come from her lips as she pressed herself harder against him, wriggling some more.

"Seras, don't do that…" He bit back a moan as she pushed against his groin.

"Shh. I'm trying to sleep." Alucard pushed into her, feeling himself harden. His grip tightened as she continued to grind into him. He leaned down, putting his face into her neck. He growled against her skin, opening his mouth and allowing his teeth to graze over her.

"Master…" Her light moans were music to his ears and he continued to push against her as she wriggled. His gloves were burning him, but he blocked out the pain, instead focusing on the light, teasing pleasure his Childe was giving him. He breathed in the air of the room, thick with the scent of her arousal. His fangs elongated against Seras' jugular.

He allowed his tongue to slide against her neck, turning his head slightly to allow him easier access to it. He kissed and sucked at her throat, harder and harder. His hips rocked against her and he wanted desperately to be inside her.

Seras felt her Master's manhood straining against his trousers. _Oh god. What are we doing? Oh god, I wish he would just bite me already. I don't want to stop._ She felt his sharp nails digging into her flesh, the sting adding to her pleasure. Feeling the warm wetness growing between her thighs, she couldn't help but writhe against him harder, more rapidly. She pulled away from him quickly, turning around and draping herself over him. As she straddled him, she rubbed against his hardness slowly at first, her hands resting on his chest. She heard his own little moans, sneaking out between his jagged breaths.

She felt him bring up his hands, one resting on her thigh, the other on her waist. Her Master bucked his hips against her, making her cry out in pleasure. She felt euphoria growing and building up inside her, filling her body. She continued to grind against him, quickening her pace as the pleasure started to take over her body. A smile came across her face, her breath hitching as she felt absolute _ecstasy._ She didn't slow down her pace until she felt Alucard lean up and he guided her down to the bed, taking her place and resting on top.

He grinded deeply against her warm sex, feeling the wetness dampening his trousers. The pleasure was mounting in him and he was in complete bliss. He felt his Childe's pleasure in the air, electric. He basked in the thrill of pleasuring her, and thought of taking her. _No, this is enough for now. God, this is amazing._ He felt the way her chest pushed heavily against his, her hands clawing at his back. He felt her claws digging into his flesh and slicing it, the sting making him hiss and buck against her harder. This elicited a long moan from Seras' lips, _her beautiful, delicious lips._

He leaned in to her lips, feeling the warmth of her lips envelop his cold ones. He couldn't help himself, and he spread his lips, pushing his tongue into her mouth gently. She opened her own in response, allowing their tongues to mingle. Her mouth was sweet, and he craved more. Feeling himself start to lose control, he pulled out of her mouth.

Seras pulled his head back into a kiss, licking at his lips lightly. He moaned, and she pushed herself against him harder. She could now feel her wetness pooling and dripping down her legs. _This is amazing. Oh god._ She pulled his face into her neck, wrapping her legs around his waist as he continued to grind and rub against her most sensitive areas. She was starting to feel herself twitch against him and called out. "Bite me! Please, master, bite me!" She felt him groan against her neck.

"Yes, my Seras." She reveled in the feeling of his fangs tearing into her flesh, pleasure erupting from the wound he caused. Her blood was being siphoned from her veins gently, making her moan and squirm beneath him. She dug her nails hard into him, feeling his skin break. She felt her neck vibrate as he moaned against it once more. She rocked against him harder, her pleasure mounting. She felt heat growing in her body, setting her every nerve on delicious fire. Her breath was quick and jagged as his hips bucked in harder and longer strokes against her, hitting all the right places.

"Please, don't stop," she moaned breathily. She licked her lips, biting them and feeling blood trickle down her chin. She opened her eyes, but all she could see was spotty darkness as violent pressure escaped from her most intimate area, radiating through her stomach and chest. The ecstasy blossomed throughout her being, piercing her deep to her core and she cried out. "Oh, Vlad! Oh, Jesus Christ…" She felt her body contract and her clit jerked as he continued to rub against her. The pleasure continued, staying at a constant high, becoming almost unbearable as he kept going. She felt her clit begin to throb and wetness coating her thighs.

Alucard felt himself coming to the edge as she called out his name. His mouth was full of her blood, and he could taste every particle of pleasure, every wave of ecstasy as she barreled through her orgasm against him. He felt every twitch, every throb and pulse of her sex against his own. He wanted so badly to feel her wrapped against him. _She said my name. My name. This is perfect. I can't believe she… called… my… name…_

The rise of his own orgasm surprised him, and he felt the divine electric charge grow in his chest, rising to his throat from its core in his pelvis. He focused on his thrusts, slowing down but applying more pressure to his fledgling's throbbing sex. He took his fangs out of her neck and lapped up the spilt blood, kissing her softly. He tried to hold back the climax to the best of his ability. He heard her continuing to moan his name between breaths, feeling her euphoria in the air.

His own was quickly mounting, even as he tried to focus on holding it back. He wanted to enjoy the moment for as long as he could. The sound of her panting rose every hair on his body, and he felt himself bucking against her faster, harder. He couldn't stop the small moans from escaping his mouth. He nuzzled against her throat, nearly whimpering from pleasure. His hands gripped the sheets beneath them, balling them in his hands before moving to grasp Seras.

He held her waist with one hand, angling her lower body to give him easier access for his last thrusts, and with the other he pulled her head up, dipping down slightly to kiss her passionately. He could taste fresh blood on her face. They kissed hard and quickly, his orgasm rushing through his body. He moaned hard against her lips, his grip on her becoming nearly painful. He bucked quickly against her as he felt himself contracting and the intense pleasure forcing its way through his veins. With each rapid contraction of his manhood, his whole body rocked against hers.

Alucard was so enthralled in the pleasure he felt, he couldn't think clearly. Each thought that fluttered across his mind was of the feeling of release. His tongue darted out to taste her as he felt his orgasm slowing down. With each involuntary thrust, he felt her twitch against him. As he finished, he took his lips from hers and growled against her, lightly, and he gave a few final thrusts, finally collapsing on her. He pushed his head into the crevice of her neck, lazily kissing her and moaning in satisfaction. _It's been quite a while since I've felt… that._

Seras squirmed underneath him, pushing her neck harder against his soft kisses. She moved her hands to wrap around his neck. She thought of Pip for a fleeting second as she felt his heavy waves of sleep in the back of her mind. _Thank god he's asleep. Cor, it's like I'm his mother._ She tangled her fingers in her Masters hair and mewed as she felt his warm tongue slide across her flesh. He adjusted himself, leaning up to look into her face.

"Seras," his breath was heavy, "you're amazing." His eyes were half closed from pleasure and he was shaking from the intensity of his orgasm. He moved off of her, and her eyes followed him as he sat on the edge of her bed, head in hands. "We can't do this again." She nodded and hummed a stood, running his hands through his hair. "I'm taking a shower."

"Master?" He turned to her. "That felt incredible." Her voice was nervous and she felt a blush come over her. _Well that was brazen._ She looked to his face to see him smiling at her, his eyes bright and fiery.

"You're welcome." He winked to her and she rolled her eyes. Twisting in her bed to lay with her back to him, she heard the door to her bathroom close and the shower turn on. She felt her eyes getting heavy, drooping closed.

Taking in a deep breath, she sighed. "What did I just do?"

* * *

After drying off, Alucard changed into clean clothes, tossing his ruined ones into his room with the flick of his wrist. He walked back out into Seras' main room, making sure his every step was silent. Walking over to the heavily melted taper candle on her table, he snuffed it out with his fingers, plunging the room into complete darkness. He looked over to the electric clock. _5:40. Sunrise._ He yawned silently, moving to Seras' bed.

He admired her sleeping form for a few seconds, watching her chest rise and fall slowly. _I wonder what she's dreaming of._ A small smile was on her face. He brushed some hair out of it. He slipped into the spot next to her, gently picking her up and laying her against his chest. She shifted slightly, grabbing his shirt lightly. He closed his eyes, replaying the night in his head, making sure his mind was sealed off from his Master. He managed to keep his wall intact during their encounter, just enough to keep Integra out. He knew that if his Master found out that they had done _this_ , they would surely be separated and his plan may be ruined.

 _I just have to contain myself. Just a little while longer. That's it. And then my Seras and I can be as close as we'd like._ He breathed in her scent. The smell of sweet sweat, arousal, and artificial strawberry filled the air. _I can control myself, but… what about her? If she wants something, I'm going to want to give it to her. Perhaps I'm weak… But what man wouldn't be, against her? She's so innocent yet so corrupted. It's beautiful and delicious and she is perfect. Absolutely perfect. The way she called my name, it was amazing. Her moans and the way she writhed against me was unbearable. Words can't even describe her. That girl is a compete mystery. She's so… spontaneous and impulsive in her actions. I love it._

He felt himself drifting to sleep. _Perhaps…_ _I… love her…?_

 _No. I can't love._


	19. Break

_**Ferne's Thoughts:**_ SO? How was last chapter? Good? Steamy? Bad? Sexual tension gives me life. It was so ~hard ;)~ to attempt to write such a tension filled chapter tastefully. I tried. You'd be amazed how many synonyms for male and female genitalia I raked through to try and find 'sophisticated' terms. God, my browser history looks so shady. Anyway, this chapter is sort of like a filler chapter, but not quite. Oops.

* _** I don't own Hellsing or the love Alucard OBVIOUSLY has for Seras. IT'S CANON. YOU CAN'T CHANGE MY MIND. ***_

* * *

 **February 20…**

Seras awoke to cold sheets. She moved, arms going out to wrap around her Master, yet finding nothing. She opened her eyes to see her room was empty, besides her. Sighing, she looked to the clock. _9:55. Training starts at 10:30. At least Master is supposed to be there._

Standing, she scratched her head, ruffling her messy hair. After brushing her teeth, she pulled on her uniform. With the last loop of her boot laces, a knock came at her door.

"Miss Victoria? I've brought your blood." Seras bounded to the door, smiling at the butler.

"Why Vincent, how kind of you!" She took the bucket from his hands, placing it on her table. She noticed the butler look at it. "Master decided to move my table. It was in the middle of my room when I first came to Hellsing, and I suppose he just likes it better here." She shrugged, picking up a blood pack and biting into it.

"He seemed… Different tonight." He leaned against her doorframe.

"You went on a mission with him tonight? Already?" He nodded.

"Oh yes. It was relatively close, and a rather small amount of ghouls." Her curiosity piqued, she gently prodded Vincent with more questions.

"How was he acting?"

"Hmm… I suppose he was… Well, tolerable. He wasn't incredibly arrogant or, dare I say, unpleasant. He didn't even threaten me. Not once! He seemed to be in a good mood. I wonder why." Seras blushed and turned from him, picking up the last blood packet.

"Is that so? I wonder why as well." She cleared her throat slightly. "Anyway, is he here?" The butler nodded once more.

"Last I saw of him, he was heading towards the library with Mr. Bernadotte."

"Oh? I need to tell Pip to start _telling_ me whenever he leaves to go do something. It's so weird, it's not like they were friends when he was alive. I wonder why they're always so buddy-buddy." She drank the last of the blood. "It's like they're keeping secrets from me." Vincent chuckled.

"You're paranoid. I think they're just speaking of common interests."

"Like what? Ways to kill people?"

"You." She looked at him, eyes open wide.

"Me?"

"Yes. They both obviously hold some sort of adoration towards you, even affection. Perhaps they're just bonding over that."

"What, like schoolchildren?" Laughing, Vincent turned to leave.

"Exactly like schoolchildren." Seras handed him the ice-filled bucket and he left. She looked to the clock once more, sighing. _10:20. I guess I should leave now. Bloody hell, this is going to be horrible._

* * *

Seras walked onto the training field, butterflies fluttering in her stomach. She really didn't want to be the subject of any lewd jokes or harassment tonight. She fingered the trigger of her Master's gun, ready to shoot anybody who upset her. "I can shoot them; I just can't kill them."

She heard the loud chattering of the men as she came closer, slowing down her steps. A large crowd of men, aged twenty to thirty, stood on the training grounds. They were dressed in typical Hellsing attire, red berets and dark uniforms. Several men had stubble, even less had beards. Most of the soldiers were smooth-faced, resembling teenagers. As Seras walked into the view of the men, the chattering died down and eyes widened. Some men's lips were pulled into grins, and others whistled.

Seras sighed deeply, glaring at the men. She stopped several feet away from the men, announcing herself as their temporary commander. Several voices called out to her.

"You? What are you supposed to teach us? How to turn into an evil monster?"

"Yeah, but for a monster, she's pretty bloody sexy, dontcha think?"

"Hell yeah, I'd bang her."

"Look at those tits!"

"Who'd be afraid of such a fit little thing?"

"Way better than my bird at home, I'll tell you."

"It's gonna be pretty hard to train with a stiffy."

Seras looked out at the crowd of men as they continued to whistle, yell, and laugh at her. She felt her anger growing as their comments got increasingly filthy.

"I wonder if she wears any knickers under that mini skirt of hers?"

"You can suck my blood!"

"Fuck yeah, you can suck me dry, _commander!"_ The men howled with laughter as Seras became more and more visibly flustered, gasping and blushing.

"Maybe she'd like to suck something else, eh?" Seras growled at the men, her eyes turning dark and her shadows writhing.

"I wonder when's the last time she's gotten any?"

"Oh, mate, I'm sure she gets plenty from her Master."

"Have you seen his guns? Bloke's overcompensating for somethin'."

"I guarantee you, commander, I could make you scream." She felt herself becoming enraged as their shouting continued.

"And I guarantee you, _little boy,_ if you continue to disrespect my fledgling, _I'll_ make you _all_ _scream._ " Seras turned to see her Master standing next to her, his hounds formed and growling at the men. She smiled and felt herself calm down. Her Master looked absolutely frightening, an angry fire flaming in his eyes as they stared out towards the soldiers, narrowed. His fury was evident, and it silenced the men immediately. She heard some murmur nervous apologies, while others whimpered slightly. They all backed up several feet, moving away from the vampires and the snarling hounds. He continued speaking, his tone low and his voice slow. "I may not be allowed to kill you, but I c _an_ make you wish you were dead. Seras Victoria is your commander. You will respect her or face the consequences." One man stood forward and spoke to Alucard.

"Are you supposed to be her dad or somethin'? And just what are those consequences? We already know that you can't really do anything to us." Seras noticed the man's startlingly blue eyes as she walked over to him.

She came about a foot from the man before speaking. She looked to the name stitched onto his uniform. "Carlson, is it?" The man smirked and nodded. "Right, well, you were misinformed. We," she pointed over to Alucard, "my Master and I, ca _n_ in fact touch you." For emphasis, Seras put her finger to his chest. "We can touch you, and we can even _hurt_ you!" She giggled as she pushed her finger deeper into his chest. He flinched and she knew she was bruising him. "We can't kill you though, like my Master said." She leaned in, their noses nearly touching. "I can promise you something. Would you like to know what it is?" Fear filled his eyes and Seras poked harder against his chest, breaking skin. He nodded. "I will make your life hell if you continue to be so rude."

Seras pulled her finger from his chest, blood staining the tip of her bleached glove. She licked it as she walked away. "So now, if everybody would pay attention, please. My name, as several of you know, is in fact, Seras Victoria. To you, I am Commander Victoria. Nothing more, nothing less. Tonight, and every night for the next week, I will be teaching you men and training you. Obviously, I will be a bit different from your usual commander. Being a vampire, I believe that training with me will give you a better knowledge into how to properly defend yourself against or dispose of vampires." Another man spoke out.

"That's all good, but why is _he_ here?" Seras blinked for a moment before turning to her grinning Master.

"Oh, I'm here to instill fear in you." He licked his lips. "And the smell of adrenalized blood is so intoxicating." Seras held back her laughter at her Master and turned back to the men.

"Like he said. You can't expect to go on missions for Hellsing and not fear for your life a little."

* * *

Alucard watched as Seras dodged rapid paintballs, and protected her team. He was on the opposite team, allowing his teammates to get shot. _Every man for himself._ He moved swiftly around shots, none of which were aimed at him. Everybody was too afraid to hit him. He grinned as Seras came into the perfect position.

She was farther away from her teammates than everybody else, and as he kept his eyes on her position, he quickly took out the other soldiers on her team. As the last one was shot in the head, she turned and looked around herself. She cringed before yelling.

"YOU BLOODY IDIOTS! IF YOU CAN'T EVEN DEFEND YOURSELF AGAINST SOME DAMN _PAINT,_ HOW THE HELL DO YOU EXPECT TO BE ABLE TO LAST AGAINST GHOULS?" Turning back to her Master, she saw him grinning at her.

He gave his fledgling a small wave, arching an eyebrow at her. She breathed in deep, moving from her position behind some clutter. She stood directly across from him, reaching her arm out to shoot his teammates. He watched as she shot every last one of them. "We're supposed to be training them."

"People die on the battlefield. It's very likely they all will as well. I _am_ training them." She glared at him before placing her paint-gun down. She sighed, running a gloved hand through her hair.

"Alright men, line up." Alucard watched as the men shed their protective gear and lined up. He turned back to Seras to see her pointing his gun at him. He grinned widely. "Stop messing everything up, Master!"

"You're going to shoot me? After all we've shared together?" He threw his hands up in false defense. Seras blushed deeply and snarled.

"Shut up!" She pulled the trigger, blowing away half of his face and neck. Chunks of flesh and bone littered the field as he fell. The soldiers gasped and several let out a few 'uh's and 'uhm's.

"Is he dead?" Seras turned to the men, smiling.

"Yes, but I'm sure he's used to it by now."

Alucard laughed as his face pulled back together, his shattered jaw reforming, teeth coming back into place, flesh regenerating. _I think I could get blown to bits by her all day and enjoy it. God, that look in her eye. So similar to the one she gave me last night… Well, as they say…_ "An eye… for an eye!" He rose, laughing evilly as he pointed his gun at his Childe. She turned to him and he took his chance to shoot at her, missing as she dodged. She looked to him as she crouched defensively.

"Are you trying to kill me?" He walked forward, gun swinging in his hand.

"Well, the first time you died wasn't very fun for me. Maybe this time will be better!" He chuckled as he continued stalking up to her.

"Like hell it wasn't! You got your fill of _pure, virgin blood!_ You loved it!" A loud laugh burst from him.

"That's true! God, you were delicious. Still are! But that first taste was definitely something! After so many years of not tasting any fresh blood, you, my dear, were a breath of fresh air." He saw a light blush come over her cheeks and phased over to directly in front of her. He wrapped his fingers in her hair. "This might hurt a bit." He noticed her brow furrow slightly before her eyes widened.

"Master, wai-" He quickly pulled her hair back, forcing his gun against her teeth. He flashed her a toothy grin before pulling the trigger. The sound of bone shattering echoed through the training area and Seras' surprised scream shocked the soldiers.

Alucard allowed her body to fall to the ground, twitching as she stared at him, her lower jaw completely blown off, shreds of flesh hanging loosely. Several men gagged, and Alucard was sure that at least one vomited. A few of them tried to brush the bits of flesh and thick blood from their skin and uniforms, squeaking in disgust.

He raised his gaze to them, walking forward as Seras continued to regenerate. "Now, men, I will be teaching you how to manage both fear a _nd_ pain. Simultaneously." One man asked how, earning him a devious grin from the vampire. Alucard walked over to the man, taking in his young features. The vampire's red orbs glared into the man's brown ones. "Like this."

Alucard leaned down slightly, putting his finger in front of the man's face, eyes never leaving his. He pressed gently between the man's eyes and spoke. "Let's see what you're most afraid of." With that, Alucard pushed into the young man's mind, treading through memories and consciousness before coming to his fears. _Oh, how convenient! You fear dogs!_ Alucard summoned his familiars, and immediately he reacted.

The man started gagging and choking, gasping for air. Alucard yelled to the man. "Now, I need you to breathe. If you don't, they'll mistake you for food and devour you." The giant dogs snarled and bared their teeth at the young man, the rest of the soldiers now watching the scene play out far away.

"I… can't," the man choked on his words, falling to his knees. The vampire walked up behind him, grabbing onto his arm.

"This will hurt."

"What?" The man's eyes widened as his arm was shattered. He screamed out in agony, trying to pull out of the vampire's grasp. "Oh fuck!" He could feel the warm spit of the dogs falling onto his face, the rancid smell of rotten flesh coming from their mouths as the barked and growled at him. He felt Alucard lift him up, pushing him closer to the beasts. "Please! No!" Alucard merely laughed.

"Now, now. The enemy will never show mercy. Expect nothing less than cruelty, and you should show them the same." He pushed the young man's face less than an inch from the beasts snapping muzzles. He relished in the pleading screams and cried coming from the man, both in pain and fear. _Good._ He heard the sound of shocked men behind him and grinned wider. "Pay attention to my voice. Are you paying attention?" The man didn't answer him immediately, so he twisted the broken arm further, cracking more bones. The man screamed.

"Yes! Yes, I'm paying attention."

"Good. Now, reach for your gun."

"You broke my arm!"

"Then use the other one. You have two of them, after all." The man grunted and groaned in pain as he moved his other arm to reach for his gun in its holster. Alucard squeezed his arm harder. He commanded his hounds to growl and bark harder, more viciously. "Are you afraid?" The man moaned in reply. "Are you in pain?" Once again, the man groaned. "Good. Fight through those emotions. Pain is only in your mind, as is fear. If you push it back, you can defeat your enemy; in this case, me. Shoot me and free yourself."

"What?"

"Fight your way out of this. If you are too much of a coward, then you can die a coward's death to my dogs." Alucard could hear the man's heartbeat rapid and pulsing through the air, blood pumping through his veins, the smell of adrenaline and fear filling his senses. _I wish I could taste it…_ "Do it now!" His voice growled through the field loudly, frightening all the men.

"Fuck you!" The man reached around, screaming. He shot Alucard over and over until the vampire let go, his face turning to a gory pulp. "Fuck you, fuck you, fuck you!" The man turned to shoot the large dogs until he ran out of ammo. He fell to his knees, cradling his arm gently, crying. "Oh god, oh god, my arm!"

Alucard's laughter roared through his body as he rose again. "Good! Good! I'm sorry to say, you still would've died if you were facing another enemy. But at least now you've learned how to control such weaknesses like pain and fear a bit better." He realized that Seras hadn't come to stop him and looked for her. He found her sitting close by, watching. He stared at her as she met his eye. He heard her voice clearly in his mind.

" _I love seeing you do things like that. It's horrible and cruel but I really like it. You look so good. I suppose the things you do that scare other people are just things that I admire. But if you seriously injure any of these men, I'll seriously injure you."_ He laughed out loud, grinning towards her. She noticed the way the starlight twinkled in his crimson eyes and smiled back.

Seras stood, still feeling the numb pounding of her face where Alucard shot her. She walked over to the man kneeling on the ground, holding his bloodied arm. "Hey, come on. I'll take you to the infirmary." The man looked to her, teary eyed, and nodded.

"Thank you, Commander." She smiled sweetly at him, sending a glare to Alucard.

"Oi! Don't leave us here with this psychopath!" She heard her Master cackle at some soldier's words.

"I'm perfectly sane, I assure you." _He's enjoying the attention, isn't he?_ Seras looked to the men as she cradled the injured soldier against herself.

"If he does anything you're uncomfortable with, just threaten him with telling Sir Integra. He'll stop." Alucard scoffed, turning his nose away from Seras.

"Are you sure of that, Police Girl?" She rolled her eyes and took the man away, murmuring reassurances to him.

* * *

Alucard sat on the grass, leaning back and laying down. He stared up at the stars, his arms folded behind his head.

"Erm, sir?"

"Hm?"

"What do we do?" Alucard looked to the group of fidgeting men.

"Leave me alone. I don't quite care." There was a low murmur from the men as they questioned whether or not Alucard was being serious. "You're grown men. Go do _something."_

The men dispersed into small social groups, chatting and laughing as Alucard closed his eyes and thought of nothing. He was enjoying the blankness of his mind for several minutes when something stood out to him. He focused on it.

"I bet I can fuck her."

"Like hell you can!"

"I c _an!_ I bet it. I heard vampire pussy is the best. And her? Fuck mate, I'd give anything to tap that."

"What do you want to bet?"

"A month's pay."

"Shite mate! A month's pay? For a vampire?" Alucard opened his eyes, sitting up and turning his head slowly in the direction of the voices. He found a group of men standing in a close group. Most of them were smiling and laughing, while the man in the middle was boasting and making bets. Alucard recognized the man as being the one Seras singled out earlier. _Carlson. How dare he think he has the right to speak of Seras that way? Seras Victoria? My Seras? I'm going to kill him. No, I'll do worse than that. I'm going to destroy him, devour him, grind him to dust!_

Alucard stood, walking in the direction of the chattering men. He felt his shadows writhing around him as his fury rose. Several soldiers noticed his presence and moved back, aiming shaky weapons at him. Alucard walked up behind him, staring down at the man, eye twitching slightly. Lifting up his hand, he tapped the man's shoulder lightly.

The young man turned around, facing the enraged vampire. He looked up to his face and blinked slowly, before speaking. "Did ya wanna place a bet too?" The man gave Alucard a toothy grin as the rest of the soldiers were silent. Alucard cocked his head slightly at the soldier before reaching out and grabbing him by his shirt. He lifted Carlson high up in the air, above his head slightly, pulling him in close. He put lips to the man's neck and hissed slightly, growling against the warm flesh. The man started to struggle and kick at Alucard. He nipped at Carlson's throat.

"Who do you think you are? You're a pathetic, worthless little worm. I should destroy you, drink your blood, tear your flesh from your disgusting bones! How **dare** you speak of my Seras in such a way? You're either incredibly brave or incredibly stupid. Which one is it?" Carlson whimpered at the vampire slightly before trying to save face.

"I'd like to think I'm lucky. During shooting practice, I got a pretty nice view of Commander Victoria's knickers. They're lacy." Alucard's eyes widened and he shook the man.

"Lucky?! Would you like to test your luck, boy?" _If I were free right now, he wouldn't even have lungs to breathe from right now._ Alucard opened his jaws and surrounded the two in his shadows. As he was about to sink his teeth into the lad, a voice rang through his head.

" **Alucard, put him down this instant! I swear to you, I will destroy you!"** He closed his jaws after a moment, pulling his shadows back into him. He narrowed his eyes as the man sighed a breath of relief. Scoffing, he tossed the man into a nearby pile of rubble used during shooting practice as cover.

The sounds of the man's bones cracking filled everybody's ears, making several men cringe and wince. The man cried out before passing into unconsciousness. "I should have just fucking done it." He licked his lips at the scent of blood in the air.

He heard Seras calling out as she ran back towards the men. "What the hell?" Alucard sighed and looked at her, anger fading from his eyes at the sight of her.

"That ridiculous excuse for a soldier was getting on my nerves."

"So you tried to kill him? Is that it?"

"I was going to eat him. But my Master interrupted me." He groaned, "Regrettably."

"Christ, Master." She shook her head. "Alright men, that's all for tonight. Somebody take him to the infirmary. See you tomorrow." Glaring at Alucard, she walked up to him. She grabbed his tie and pulled him to her height, nearly breaking his back. She slapped him, breaking his jaw. "Get over yourself. You're only making things harder for the both of us when you do these things."

He blinked slowly, pushing his jaw back into place. "I would suggest you not do that again." She did. Harder.

"And I would suggest you stop being an idiot." He turned back to her quickly and growled. He reached out for her, picking her up by her waist, a hand on either side. She let go of his tie and he straightened up.

"You test me, girl."

"And so far, you don't seem to be passing." He snarled again and she smiled at him. Something in her action made him angry, and emotion, thoughts repressed came flowing out all at once.

"Dammit Seras!" He dropped the girl. "Fear me! Cower in my presence! Bow at my feet and beg forgiveness, damn you!" He was yelling at the young girl.

She sat on the ground calmly. _Is he having an emotional breakdown?_ "Why?" He turned and looked her in the eyes.

 _I can't believe this girl._ He shook his head, sighing and cursing in every language he knew. "Because of who I am! Everybody else does! Yet you have the nerve, the audacity, to speak to me the way you do, shoot me, hit me, _look at me like that!_ " He motioned at her with his hands. "Why don't you fear me? Why? I don't understand." She furrowed her brow.

"I'm not afraid of you because I know you."

"You know nothing!"

"I know that you're more than the monster you show to everybody. You've shown me the man that you are, in all the time I've known you. And to be honest, even your cruelty is gorgeous to me. I don't fear you because I love you, and you don't understand why because you've never been loved. And that's fine. You just need to stop questioning it. You're irritating and rude and overreact to e _verything_ , but I care about you. How many times do I have to say it to make you understand? God, Master." He stood and stared at her. "Come on. I'm sure Sir Integra wants to speak with you about the little scene you caused. And I'm sure you're hungry. Have you drank yet?" He clucked his tongue and sighed.

"No." Seras hopped up, walking away and motioning him to follow.

"Well come on! Let's go!"

 _Damn her._

* * *

Alucard sat at Seras' table, drinking either blood or wine in a wine glass. She couldn't tell which. _Smells like both. Weirdo._ She laid on her bed, staring at the ceiling. "Master?"

"Hm?"

"Why do you do that?"

"Do what?"

"You just… Freak out sometimes. It's like you just explode, and you start talking about a bunch of things, like tonight. It's not good to hold things in, if that's it."

"Seras…" His voice was warning. She sat on her elbows, looking at him.

"Please. You're so distant, are you trying to be? Is that it? Do you think you'll scare me away if you let me in? Do you think I'll hurt you? Is that it?"

 _Yes._ "No. Stop talking."

"No! Neither of those things are true. I'm not going to abandon you or betray you or hurt you. I ca _re about you."_ She sighed, laying back down. "You're so damn difficult."

"Perhaps you should just stop trying to get to know me."

"Never." He smiled slightly, turning his head so she wouldn't see. He felt the air shift as Pip came into the room.

"Well hello Mr. Alucard, my beautiful Seras." Pip nodded at the both of them, a smile plastered on his face. Alucard stared at the Frenchman as he sat on the table, moving the vampire's feet out of the way.

"Hello Pip," Seras sang.

"I have a question."

"What?" Seras sat up fully.

"Not for you." Alucard groaned, getting ready to leave. "No! Stay!" The vampire glared at the familiar. "I just figured something out." Alucard lowered his glass.

"And what is that?" Alucard looked to Pip.

"You're like 600 years old, right?" Pip was staring at Alucard, smile stuck on his face.

"Mm."

"Well, that means that you must have had a lot of sex." Alucard blinked.

"Pip!" Seras groaned and fell back into her bed.

"What? He must have! Right?" Alucard looked at Seras for a moment before turning back to Pip.

"I suppose."

"Well then certainly you must have a few tricks. Care to share?"

"Pip, you're disgusting."

"Shush Seras, the men are speaking." Seras gasped.

"You bloody bastard!" She slashed at Pip with her shadows, missing. Alucard laughed after a silent moment, turning to Pip.

"Captain Bernadotte, here's something for you to remember." The man nodded. "You really shouldn't try to get tips from a man who has a tendency to drink the blood of women he fucks." Seras groaned into her pillow. Pip chuckled, standing up.

"Well you seem to do well with Seras." Alucard bristled, narrowing his eyes at Pip. The man threw his hands up. "Hey, hey, I'm only joking." The familiar stretched and yawned. "I'm tired."

"Go to sleep then," Seras' voice was muffled by the pillow her face was buried in. "I don't understand why you can't have the decency to talk about things like that in French. You know I can't understand it."

"What would be the fun in that, cheri? The blush that comes over you is adorable." Alucard rolled his eyes as the two continued to bicker.

Seras growled and Pip laughed in her face while Alucard sipped his drink. _Perhaps I should intervene?_ Seras screamed as Pip picked her up and spun her. _No, they seem fine._ He sighed and drank the last drop from his glass, sending it away to his room in a small flurry of shadows. He stood, ready to leave as a voice called out to him.

"Where are you going?" He turned around to see Seras hanging upside down, being held by her ankles.

"My room."

"Why?" Pip laid her down on her bed and she sat up on the edge of it. Alucard shrugged slightly.

"I want to be alone." Seras pouted.

"Oh. Alright. Do you want to sleep alone too?" Pip whistled and raised his eyebrows. He whispered something to Seras and she slapped his chest.

"Yes." He studied her face. _She's disappointed._ "Unless-"

"No, it's fine!" She gave a forced smile and waved her hand around. Flipping her hair out of her face quickly, she laughed quietly. "Good night." He felt his features soften and almost regretted his decision. He smiled back at the small girl.

"Good day, Police Girl." He looked to Pip and the Frenchman waved. He nodded slightly and left.

Seras' smile faded into a pout again. "We're going to go back to avoiding each other, aren't we?" Pip looked to her.

"Why would you do that?" Seras sighed and told Pip about the previous night, his grin widening with every word.

* * *

"Scandalous."

"You can't tell anybody. Ok? Ok Pip?"

"Yes, yes, I swear on my dead body. That's intense." _Lucky bastard._ "I'm jealous." Seras rolled her scarlet eyes.

"You're a pig."

"I'm French."

"You're a pervert."

"I'm a man." She groaned in anger and laid down, kicking at him with her short legs.

"He's been so odd since coming back. The things he said tonight, I… I just don't understand it. It's as if he speaks just to hear himself sometimes. Other times, it's like he speaks without even meaning to." She'd heard him say things so shrouded in mystery that even she didn't understand what they meant. And she considered herself to be one of the few who _could_ understand him. "I loved last night though. He was so sweet and loving and… Sometimes, his mask breaks and I can see the man beneath it. He's so afraid of being abandoned that he constantly tries to distance himself. I understand why, but I can't understand why he's so afraid of me leaving him all alone.

I would never do that. Unless he hurt me, which I doubt he would, I intend on staying with him. I love him. He just keeps everything inside and it's frustrating! Because then he breaks like tonight. I don't know how to make him feel more comfortable with talking. Maybe I can't." Pip sat next to her, placing his hand on hers.

"He just needs time. Keep that in mind, Seras. He needs time. It's been a long time since he's felt comfortable to be close to anybody. He's already shown more of himself to you than anybody else."

"How do you know?"

"He's mentioned it. Not in those words, but he said it. He's just trying not to get you two in trouble. He wants to be with you, but he understands he can't. Not right now."

"I know. He's said things like that. But I can't help it."

"You need to try harder. For him. You know that."

"Yeah, I do." She sighed. "He just doesn't make any sense."

"I agree."

"Pip, you're great. I love talking to you. You always make me feel better." He smiled wide at her, pulling her off the bed.

"Come on, let's go see what Vincent is up to." She giggled and allowed herself to be pulled out of her room by him.

* * *

Alucard sat in his chair, falling asleep. Although he didn't do anything extremely tiring, he felt exhausted. _I don't know how much longer I can keep my distance from her. Last night shouldn't have happened. But it was so delicious._ He sighed. _I have to try. I can't let Integra find out. I have to wait out the rest of the time until Seras and I can be free. I can do that. I waited thirty years to come back to her, I can wait a few weeks. Can't I?_

With his last few thoughts, he felt himself falling asleep. He focused on Seras' energy, noticing that she was either nervous or excited. _I wonder what she's doing._ He focused on Integra to find her to be asleep. He stood up, wavering slightly from exhaustion. He stripped his boots, coat, and shirt from his body and moved to his coffin. Sliding in, his mind traveled back to thoughts of Seras.

He fell asleep dreaming of their future.

* * *

Vincent watched on in horror as Seras fell from the tall ladder. She screamed out, flipping around in the air. The butler was frozen in place and Pip was holding his gut laughing. Seras finally hit the floor, landing on her hands and feet like a cat. He heard the smooth marble of the floor crack and break under the force and winced. He clucked his tongue and moved over to the Draculina as she straightened up and brushed her uniform off, hissing.

"Miss Victoria, do you know how much this is going to cost us? We already pay enough damages for other properties, do you really have to break the manor?" She gasped, offended, and poked him in the chest.

"Vincent, you _know_ I have a problem with heights! But you and Pip just insisted I go up that giant bloody ladder to grab some dusty vase? Ridiculous!"

"You don't have an issue _taking to the skies in the middle of the night!_ Or flying on those giant wings, hundreds of feet in the air! How is it that a ladder bothers you?!" She narrowed her eyes at him.

"I. Don't. Like. LADDERS!" The only thing louder than Seras' yell was Pip's laughter. "It's not funny." Vincent looked down at the short girl, then back to the cracked floor and sighed.

"I suppose I should try to fix this." He looked back to Seras to see her stepping on her tip-toes, stretching her shadows up the large expanse of the wall. The writhing dark mass inched closer and closer to the vase on the high window sill, eventually picking it up and bringing it down to the girl. Seras handed the vase to Vincent with a smile.

"Here you go!" His eye twitched. _Why didn't she do that to begin with?_

"Thank you, Miss Victoria. I believe you should go to sleep now. It's been," _slightly annoying,_ "nice having your assistance tonight. Thank you." He smiled to her, brushing a stray strand of hair from his face. As she bid her farewells and followed her familiar out of the room, Vincent tightened his ponytail. Sighing, he went and examined the damaged floor.

* * *

Seras laid in bed, cuddled in the blankets. She felt the soft hum of Pip's sleep, as well as the low hum of her Master's sleep. It was several hours past dawn, yet she couldn't sleep. She tried to, but her mind kept traveling. First, she thought about her Master and his actions over the past few weeks. Then, the previous night, which left her panting and craving his touch. With those thoughts pushed from her mind, she thought about the future. About what lies in store for her and her Master.

 _Maybe one day, we can go somewhere. Live together. Get a dog. Well, I guess Baskerville counts. His familiars are pretty cute. And they're always nice to me. Maybe we'll get married. Well, maybe not married. But something like it. I don't think Master would want to have a traditional marriage, in a church or anything. Not that I do either, but what would we do? Oh, what am I thinking? He wouldn't want to marry me._

 _But if he did, what color dress would I wear? I like the idea of a colored wedding dress. Maybe red? Black, even. Simple, too. Not all long and poufy. Something simple, yet elegant. Oh! And I'd wear big heels, just so he wouldn't have to lean down so far to kiss me. Who would we invite? Iscariot?_

 _Oh yes, and Heinkel can be my maid of honor! A ghoul can be our ring bearer, and maybe even a werewolf can marry us! What a beautiful wedding. We'll have punch bowls filled with blood, and fancy glasses for everybody! Where would we live? Paris, or Berlin? Maybe America? No, Master would never want to go to America. Somewhere fancy, and dark._

Seras shifted in her bed, a smile on her face. _And I'll call him Vlad. And he'll be happy, and so will I. But for that to happen, I can't keep losing control around him like last night. Even though that was amazing. Is that what sex feels like? No, it's got to be different. At least a little bit. I guess I'll find out eventually._ She giggled to herself, her voice quiet and sleepy. She fell asleep, thinking of the future.


	20. Complexity

_**Ferne's Thoughts:**_ I love to skateboard. It's like, one of my passions. So I skated for the first time in 2 years this weekend. Fuck, I'm sore all over. Everywhere. Can't even walk right. But I can still skate ;) (This chapter is dialogue heavy)

 _*** I don't claim to own Hellsing. I do own my skateboard. ***_

* * *

 **February 26** **th** **…**

Seras sat on the grass of the training field, smiling as she gave a sigh of relief. "No more dealing with delinquents. Aren't you glad, Master?" She heard her master grumble in reply as he leaned against a large tree. She looked to him and cocked her head. He was wearing his hat, shading his face. She could only see the bright glow of his eyes in the darkness. "I thought you were actually going to kill them, more than once."

"If I could have, I guarantee you that I would have." She knew that, but it made her feel nice to hear him say it.

"Come sit down." She saw his eyes move to look at her. He sighed and obliged her, moving over to her slowly. She smiled. "You haven't told me about any of the missions you and Vincent went on."

"There hasn't been much to say."

"Then you can tell me about some of them really easily!" She flashed her teeth at him in a toothy grin. He stared at her for a moment.

"No." Her smile fell.

"Please?" He looked to her again, noticing her pout. Sighing, he stretched his legs out.

 _I can't say no to that face._ "Fine."

"Yay!" She scooted in closer to him, leaning her head on his shoulder.

"Tonight's mission wasn't _too_ boring. There were two freaks, both around your age. After Vincent and I took care of the ghouls, I went to get them. They put up quite a fight, one even managed to rip my head off." Seras gasped quietly.

"And how did that feel?" He turned to look down at her.

"Would you care to find out?" She met his gaze.

"Just keep going, please."

"Well, when I killed the first one, the other one decided to run. I let him run for a few minutes."

"What, just for fun?"

"Exactly!"

"You're twisted."

"You'd do it too," Alucard chuckled. "I caught up to him in no time, the boy didn't even get a mile away. But just as I'm about to blow his head off," Alucard put his fingers to Seras' head for emphasis, " _Vincent_ shoots right into me, killing the maggot." He was silent a moment. "It made me think of you."

Seras gasped and pushed him. "You bastard! That wasn't funny!" He laughed.

"It's a good thing I wasn't joking then, isn't it?" Growling, she leaned in close to him.

"Wanna wrestle?" He blinked at her a few times.

"What?" She pushed him down, hands on his chest. With him on the ground, she came close to his face. Batting it lightly with her hand, she spoke.

"Wanna wrestle?" She pulled his hat off and he cocked his head.

"You think you can beat me?"

"Maybe. Or maybe I just want to pin you to the ground and watch you cry because you lost." He roared with laughter, putting his hands on her back.

"I don't lose." She smiled coyly at him.

"We'll see." Alucard grinned at her before tightening his grip on her waist and flipped her quickly, pinning her.

"Oh Seras, how are you going to get out of this?" He spread her legs open with his knee, getting more comfortable. He laid his arm across her chest, leaning on it while staring at her. "You know, you make a very comfortable pillow." He gave a quick wink.

Seras' eyes widened and she growled at him. She squirmed beneath him, moving the both of them.

"Oh, nice try. You'll have to do better than that to move me, though." She laughed as she continued to try to break free from his grasp. She got an idea, though.

Seras started to roll her hips and move sensually underneath him. She felt him bristle and saw his eyes widen slightly. She let little moans escape from her throat and started breathing heavy. She pushed against his knee, feeling him press harder against her, sliding under her skirt. "M…Master," she let each word flow out breathily and high. She heard him groan a bit and he bit his lip.

"Seras, what are you doing?" She continued to grind against him. _Oh, I'm just using my womanly charm, Master._

"I'd like to be doing you." His eyes widened and he growled a bit, moving his arm from her chest and loosening his grip. He raised himself slightly off of her body, allowing Seras room to move. Like lightning, she crawled out from under him and jumped away, creating a large distance from him. She saw his face change from lust to confusion to humor. A large grin filled his face.

"That's playing dirty, Police Girl!" He laughed, the sound echoing on the grounds. She chuckled, her shadows splaying out around her.

"There's no such thing!" He stood, pulling his coat off and dropping it on the grass. He cracked his neck before pulling back into a fighting stance. Seras' eyes widened slightly.

"You should run now." She did. She turned, feet moving quicker than the human eye could see. The air slapped against her face, feeling like tiny pins pricking her soft flesh.

She jumped and formed her shadows into a pair of wings, flapping off into the sky. She rose high up, looking down at the roof of the manor. She started to glide slowly, dropping down to it. She landed on the roof lightly, not making a sound. She couldn't hear her Master either, no matter how hard she concentrated. She looked around, finding herself alone. _Did I lose him? Well, that was easy._ She smiled and place a hand on her hip.

"You look good from this angle." Her eyes widened immediately and turned around. Alucard was sitting on the edge of one of the tall chimneys, looking down at her as he dropped to the roof. She blinked slowly before turning back around and attempting to jump off the edge.

Well, she jumped. She felt herself floating rather than falling though, realizing that her Master had caught her by the collar of her uniform. She started to choke slightly before she remembered that she didn't need to breathe. She kicked in the air and tried to wriggle out of his grasp but he only laughed. "Let me go!"

"If you insist." Now, she felt herself falling and she landed on one of the hard metal benches in the garden. _He threw me! He didn't just let me go, he fucking threw me! Bastard!_

Before she could think, she rolled into a rose bush, thorns digging into her flesh. She smelled her own blood, tasting some in her mouth. Pulling herself out of the thorny bush, she hissed. Standing up, she proceeded to pull numerous thorns from her face, arms, legs, and body. Sighing, she noticed her leg had broken, a bone sticking out. She shook it, forcing the bone back into place and allowing it to heal quicker. "Bastard."

"How rude." He appeared in front of her, arms at his sides and a grin on his face. "I did what you told me to."

"You threw me into the garden. Three kilometers away!" He raised a finger in front of her face.

"Ah, but I let you go, did I not?" She narrowed her eyes and lunged at him. He dodged her effortlessly, laughing at her attack. "Is that all, Police Girl?" She growled and sliced at him; first with her claws and then with her shadows. She got him with her shadows, cutting across his cheek. He paused for a moment, surprised that she hit him. The pause gave her the chance to jump and pounce on him, landing on top of him with a grunt. She placed a hand on his face, leaning down to touch his nose with her own.

"I think I win, Master." He cocked his head.

"Do you? How naïve." She felt something cut through her flesh, piercing her stomach and coming out the other side. Coughing blood onto his face, Seras didn't let go. She growled and brought her face down to his neck, snarling against it. "Do it. Drink my blood."

 _That almost sounds like a beg._ She leaned up, and used her shadows to cut across his throat. His brow furrowed and he looked to her in confusion, blood pouring from the deep gash. He tried to speak, but he could only choke on the liquid. He spoke in her mind.

" **Why do you never drink my blood?"**

"I'm not ready." He scowled at her. "But, I do believe I've just won." His eyes turned vacant and she sat on him, confused. His neck had healed, but now he just lay there. "Master?" He snapped his head to her, sitting across his waist.

"My Master was asking where we were."

"Oh, does she want us to come in?" He shrugged, placing his hands on her thighs. She saw the runes glow. _Don't pay attention to them. Don't pay attention to them. Don't – "_ What's it like to have to wear those?"

"Annoying. Imagine this: you've got somebody holding a lit match near your hand, inching it closer and closer each time you do or think of doing something you want to." She scrunched up her face.

"Does it hurt?"

"Not badly. Like I said, it's more annoying than painful."

"How does that work? You just think something and the runes burn you?" He shrugged.

"Occult magic. The Hellsing family has always had a wide knowledge on the occult, some members even selling their very souls to wield power."

"So you know a bunch of Hellsing gossip, eh?" She smiled down at him. He raised an eyebrow, eyes narrowing.

"I'll never tell."

"Please!"

"Why do you want to know so badly? It doesn't affect you."

"I like knowing things."

"That's odd, considering how much of an idiot you are sometimes." She growled, leaning back down into his face.

"I'm not the one that got myself forced into a life of servitude by vampire hunters. You certainly fell low, didn't you, Master?" _Oh no. Why did I say that?!_ His eyes widened, fury growing in them. His grip on her thighs tightened, nails digging into them and runes glowing brightly. He leaned up, baring his teeth at her. She winced and whined at the sudden pain.

"What was that, Police Girl?" he snarled through his teeth. His hair was flowing around him, rage in the air. She choked on her words.

"Nothing, M-Master, I'm sorry." His eyes seemed to soften a bit, his grip loosening. His stance relaxed slightly and he leaned back down.

"Don't speak to me like that. Ever again, Seras." She blushed slightly, looking away from him.

"I won't. I'm sorry." He hummed in response, his hands caressing the healed wounds on her thighs.

She sat on his stomach, enjoying his hands on her thighs. She wasn't really thinking about anything, just _feeling_. She was snapped out of the trance she was in by his deep voice. "Let's go inside." She nodded, hopping off of him and heading towards the manor. He strode next to her after a second.

She felt him drape his arm around her, pulling her in close. She noticed that he had put on his coat and hat once more, causing her to disappear slightly in the sea of red. She leaned into him. With her head against his chest, she noticed a feint vibration coming from deep inside. _Is he… purring?_

* * *

Integra sat in her office, awaiting her servant. _Damn Alucard, wasting time. Where the hell is he?_ She sighed hard, stretching in her chair. She felt the air shift as the vampire phased through the floor.

"My Master." He bowed slightly before taking a seat.

"Where have you been?"

"Seras and I were in the gardens."

"And just what was so important that you decided to stay out there when I asked you to come here?" He shrugged, the red coat swaying slightly.

"It's a nice night." She rolled her eyes.

"Well, as both you and Seras are aware, your punishments are over, as of tonight." He nodded. "That doesn't mean that you are allowed to-"

"Integra, I understand the boundaries you have set for me. I will do my best to obey your orders." His tone was laced with bitterness as he sighed out the words. She narrowed her eye at him.

"Good." Lacing her fingers on her desk, she breathed in deep. "As much a nuisance as you are, Alucard, it's good to have you back. When you're not testing my patience, that is." The vampire chuckled, throwing his head back slightly.

"My, my! Was that a complement? How odd! Has something gotten into you, Integra?"

"I haven't quite acknowledged your return very nicely, so I thought I might as well do it now. I know that there has been a lot of… tension between the two of us, regarding Seras. I hope we can move past that, however. Assuming you are willing to obey my commands." Alucard pursed his lips and raised his eyebrows slightly.

"Mm."

"Well, as long as we're agreed, you can leave." _I'm going out of my way to make things better for you and you can't even acknowledge that? Ungrateful creature._ She gave a small, forced smile. Alucard gave a quiet scoff before standing.

"My Master, I heard that." Her smile faltered and she paled a bit.

"Then you should acknowledge and recognize and appreciate my attempts, shouldn't you? Does 'thank you' not belong to your vocabulary, Alucard?" He held her gaze for a moment, eye twitching slightly. She noticed the slight glow to his hands. He spoke slowly, the words seemingly forced from him.

"Thank you… my Master." She smiled widely, pleased.

"Good. Have a nice night, then." He murmured something as he turned away from her, catching her attention. "What was that, servant?" He sighed deeply, turning to her and grinning,

"I said - You still act like an obnoxious little girl." She gasped slightly before growling and shouting at the vampire.

"GET OUT. OUT, RIGHT NOW, YOU INSOLENT BEAST!" Alucard's sardonic laughter filled the room as he phased through the floor, the ash tray Integra threw landing on the spot once occupied by him.

She stared around the empty office, sighing and sitting back down. Running her hands through her long hair, she thought about Seras. _It's been a while since we spent any real time together. Perhaps she's still upset with me? I hope that's not it._

* * *

She decided to go and find her several hours later. _Where might she be? Her room, with Vincent… Alucard's room. Why don't I just ask him?_ She pushed into his mind, calling out.

" _Alucard, where is Seras?"_

" _ **Why?"**_

" _Just tell me."_

" _ **The last time I checked on her, she was in the ball room. I don't know why, she wouldn't tell me. Are you going to tell me why you're asking for my fledgling?"**_

" _No."_

* * *

She backed out of his mind and made her way to the ballroom. She found her laying in front of one of the large windows, tapping on the glass with her shadow arm.

"Hello Seras." The girl turned around, smiling and waving at Integra.

"Hello, Sir! How are you doing?" Integra walked over to her.

"Oh, I'm doing well. I just wanted to see what you were up to."

"Just being lazy I suppose." Sitting down next to the Draculina, Integra could see up her skirt slightly. Her gaze lingered before she forced it back up to the girl's face.

"I hope that your punishment hasn't scarred you too badly," she chuckled at the blush that came over Seras' face.

"I'm more worried about the men. My Master got pretty pissed at some of them, and I doubt he'll forget them."

"Oh yes, Alucard can certainly hold a grudge. Although I don't believe he would go out of his way to seriously injure any of the soldiers over petty jealousy."

"I guess you're right, but I bet he'll try to scare them every chance he gets." Integra shifted and leaned against the wall.

"So what have you been up to lately? We haven't seen much of each other. I hope you're not still upset at me over everything." Seras turned to Integra, blinking slowly.

"No! I'm not. I mean, I don't like it or understand it, but I don't hate you or anything. I've just been busy with both the troops and V-my Master." _What was she about to say? That's odd._ Integra cocked her head slightly.

"Oh? How so?"

"Well, Master and I have just been spending some time together after training. He tells me some things about his missions, sometimes things about himself. I do most of the talking, to be honest." Seras seemed to be pondering something before she spoke again. "But he's getting better."

"At what?"

"Talking. And not just to hear himself, actually talking."

"Hm."

"So did you want to do something?" Integra sighed happily.

"Oh, no, nothing important. Perhaps you'd like to take a walk around the estate, talk about some more things?" Seras' face lit up, causing Integra to smile.

"Yeah! That'd be nice, Sir."

* * *

Alucard sat at the table in Seras' room. _I wonder how I'm going to receive Elizabeth's reply?_ He thought of the various ways he could contact her, or vice versa, only to come up with nothing. His mind wandered to his fledgling. _Where is she? Is she with_ Integra? His eyes widened slightly. _Is my Master trying to_ _ **court**_ _her? Ridiculous._

He shifted his boots on her table, stretching out more. He conjured up a large wine glass and bottle, filling the glass with dark liquid. Sipping it, he savored the taste. Looking to the clock, he sighed. _3:30._ "Where the hell is she?"

As soon as he spoke, the door to the room opened and in came the bouncing Draculina. She was glowing. "Do you mean me? I'm right here." She gave a small smile to him as he scowled. "Why are you in my room?" He sipped and looked away from her.

 _I might have missed you._ "I was waiting for you." She cocked her head, looking to his glass and back to his eyes. Sighing, she walked to her bed. As she sat, she popped open her collar and peeled off her boots and stockings.

"You're always drinking."

"Mm." He sipped again.

"But you're never drunk." He turned to her.

"Or perhaps I'm never sober. Did you think of that?" He grinned at her and she laughed.

"That's definitely a possibility." She sprawled out on the large bed, closing her eyes. Alucard took in her form, biting his lip slightly. _So tempting._ "Master?" He was snapped from his trance by her quiet voice.

"Yes?"

"You've been married before, right?" He bristled, furrowing his brow. _Why? Why would she want to know?_

"I have."

"Did you love her?" He scoffed and chuckled slightly.

"No." She opened her eyes and looked to him.

"What happened to her?" He hesitated a moment, wary of giving her personal information.

"She killed herself." Her eyes narrowed slightly and she cocked her head, moving to sit up.

"Oh. I'm sorry."

"Don't be. She chose her fate. It doesn't bother me." Seras had her doubts about that last statement, but continued to question him.

"Did you have children?" He drank from his glass slowly, finishing the last drops of wine.

"Yes."

"You did?" The questioning tone in her voice made him want to answer anything she wanted to know.

"I did." He heard her shift on the bed.

"How many? What happened to them?"

"Three, I believe. I don't know much about any of them. I didn't really care. I know that one of them gained my throne, but that's about it. They weren't quite an interest of mine. I became a vampire before any of them were grown."

"That's so odd." He turned to her, confused.

"What is?" She shrugged.

"You just don't seem like the kind of person to have children."

"Well I wasn't a father. I just contributed in their creation." Seras laughed and he smiled.

"Charming!"

"I was human once, it only makes sense that I would've had at least a few offspring." Seras laughed harder, smile wide.

"Not every human has children, you know."

"Did you want to?" Her eyes widened and she shook her head rapidly.

"Oh, god, no! I've never wanted any."

"Not once? Even as a little girl?"

"I've never wanted to be a mother. It's just not something I've ever been attracted to." Smiling, she waved her hand noncommittally. "I couldn't even keep a cactus alive, how could I take care of a person? It's just not my thing." Alucard smiled, glad about answer.

"What made you so curious about me?"

"I just wondered is all." She walked over to him and sat on the table. He looked up into her eyes.

"What did you do with Integra?"

"Oh, we just took a walk around the grounds, talking. Nothing too exciting."

"Hm." She looked to him.

"What?"

"Nothing." _I wonder what she's up to._ Seras stood up again, pulling the sleeve of his coat. "What are you doing?"

"Come to bed with me. I swear I won't do _anything like last time._ " He choked slightly at the thought, but got up and followed her. He watched her crawl into the blankets and bat her eyes at him. He felt his chest tighten a little bit and he took off his coat, then his boots. "You don't mind it if I sleep in my uniform do you?" He shook his head as he got into the bed as well, cradling her in his arms.

The lights were turned out abruptly, plunging the room into darkness. Seras snuggled into his chest, breathing in his scent. She sighed, content with the scenario. Feeling Pip's presence sleeping in her mind made her stay calm. _Well at least Pip knows his boundaries._ Alucard's breathing was steady and he held her tightly against him. They were both quiet for a while, before her voice broke through the room.

"Master, do you ever regret becoming a vampire?"

"I don't regret it, nor do I regret any of my decisions. I do, however, envy those who can die sometimes. The things that come along with being human. I stand by everything I've ever done."

"It's good you don't regret anything. Sometimes I… I don't know if I regret it, but I feel guilty about drinking Pip's blood."

"Why? He asked you to. It was given freely, so you shouldn't have any guilt. He died for you, after all." Seras flinched and tensed a bit, Alucard noticed. "In any case, his death wasn't entirely your fault. Besides, you've essentially kept him alive. His soul, at least."

"I guess. I just wonder if _death_ death would have been better for him."

"You'll never know. You did what you thought was best." She shrugged against him. "In my personal experience, regret only leads to dissatisfaction. What's the point in living if you're dissatisfied?"

"Maybe the point of it is to figure out how to be happier."

"Perhaps. But it only makes you unhappy." Alucard came to the conclusion that Seras had never spoken of such... complex topics with him. Surely she had with others, Integra, even Pip, but… _never me. How odd. It's refreshing. I wonder why she's never brought anything up? Well, I suppose I'm not the easiest to talk to, even for her._

"I thought you said happiness didn't exist? Besides, I'm starting to think that's all you know."

"What do you mean?" She leaned up on his chest.

"How to be unhappy, being unsatisfied. It's not like you _can't_ be satisfied, it's just that you _haven't_ been satisfied. You've never truly been happy, whether you wanted to or not. Maybe you don't know what it feels like, so when you do feel it, you can't recognize it. You mostly seem content with things, as if you couldn't care about anything, even if you tried. It's like all you know is pain and suffering, and you've never allowed yourself to be happy. Can I tell you something?" Alucard was shell-shocked that his fledgling had paid that much attention to him and his actions, that she actually cared enough about him to analyze these things.

"Yes."

"I want to change that. I want to make you happy. I want to be the thing that makes you feel better and you're going to like it." He heard the resolve in her voice as if she were a judge giving him a sentence. He chuckled and wrapped his fingers in her hair, playing with the soft strands.

"If you insist, draga mea."

* * *

 **Somewhere outside of Paris…**

Elizabeth Bathory drank from the woman brought to her for her nightly meal. The woman was tall, in her twenties. _Not a virgin, but not spoiled either._ The Countess would drain her of every last drop, then destroy her body.

After finishing her meal, she heard the door to her throne room open. She turned around to see Catrina strolling in. The Countess smiled at the young girl, going in for a hug. "Catrina! Where have you been, darling? You were supposed to be back days ago!" The young girl chuckled in the tight hug.

"Well, Madame, I decided on some sight-seeing of London. It has an amazing night life." The woman laughed heartily, still holding the girl, but no longer in a hug.

"That's my Catrina! Always a trouble maker! Meet any worthy girls?" Catrina shook her head, sighing.

"Nah, there was this one blue-haired girl, Chloe, but as soon as we hit it off her girlfriend comes up. Chloe was all like, 'Oh hey, Cat, this is my girlfriend Max. She's super cool, a photographer!' as if I give a damn. Anyway, I had fun, even if I didn't find a girl to chill with." Elizabeth huffed, walking to her throne and sitting.

"You'll find somebody." She shook her head. _Catrina is amazing! Why can't she find somebody? Or at least somebody worthy?_ "All it takes is time, darling. Now tell me, did Vlad reply?" The young girl lit up, reaching into her back pocket and pulling out a pale envelope.

"Right here, Madame! I read it over, too. It seems as though everything is going to go smoothly, if you agree to the terms in his letter." She nodded.

"And how was he? I haven't even seen him for decades. What does he look like?" Catrina pondered for a moment.

"Uh, he was tall. Really tall, like up to here," she put a hand a few feet above her head, "and I guess he'd be goth. Lots of black and red. His hair was dark, maybe not black, but really dark brown. It was long, to his shoulders. He was pale, but his skin was olive-y. A base of yellow. His eyes were uber red. Glowing. But a specific shade, his fledgling had that shade as well. Must be special to his blood-line or something." Catrina hummed for a moment. "His teeth were big. All of them looked sharp, animal like, but only when he grinned. Maybe I just imagined it. I think he was skinny, his legs looked it. Maybe he's anorexic." Elizabeth laughed, nodding at the girl's description. "I guess he'd be considered attractive, if he weren't so damn scary."

"Yes, that sounds like him!" Catrina smiled and walked to her Master, handing her the envelope.

"How are the others?"

"Oh, your brothers and sisters are positively restless. They went out a few hours ago."

"Ok. Well, if you don't mind, I'm off to sleep. I'm exhausted, and I still have a hangover."

"Alright. Have a nice rest." Catrina smiled and nodded at her Master.

Elizabeth opened the envelope, admiring the beautiful writing before reading.

* * *

After reading, the Countess chortled. "Ah, so April the 14th? What a splendid day! A spring-time massacre! Absolutely delicious. And don't worry, Vlad. Nobody but me will target your special little Draculina. I wonder who she will choose! This is going to be amazing! I just want to be the one to kill Miss Hellsing. I can already taste the blood, the gore, the violence!" She cackled, the sound echoing through her mansion. "And then, when all this is over, we can be together. Our power will be great!"

The next night consisted of Elizabeth gathering the means necessary to attack Hellsing. Brigades of ghouls, dozens of her fledglings, even several FREAKS were in her possession. She gave one of the FREAKS a message to deliver to Alucard, sending them on a trip to England. _Sure, it's a suicide mission, but who cares? He's not a real vampire. And definitely not one of mine._ She looked out to the crowd of undead, smiling. _It's all coming into plan._

"Well children. We're ready for war."


	21. Passing The Time

_**Ferne's Thoughts:**_ Ok, so I was looking up Romanian terms online, and came to this Yahoo! Answers post, right. So I was all like reading it and stuff, and they were asking about the same exact things I wanted to know, like, what are the odds! So I read the full question. Guess what this bitch was asking about? I'll give you a second. THIS HOE WAS ASKING FOR ROMANIAN TERMS TO HAVE MOTHER FUCKING ALUCARD SAY TO SERAS. WTF. WHO EVER THIS HOE WAS, I THANK YOU BECAUSE THAT GAVE ME SOME NICE NEW TERMS. Ok, but seriously, I freaked the heck out when I realized it was for Alucard. I legit screamed and annoyed my dad for like ten minutes saying "We're writing about the same guy! The same ship! IT'S THE SAME GUY!" like a lunatic. Highlight of my life.

 _*** I do not own Hellsing or Hellsing Ultimate, but I own this plot line. Perhaps one day, I may be able to buy the rights to Hellsing. I'm waiting for that day. ***_

* * *

 **April 4…**

"Master, come on!" Seras stood outside the Manor, tapping her booted foot impatiently. _Sir Integra gave us this mission so that we go_ _ **do it,**_ _not waste time._ "Why do you choose now to be slow?"

"I'm not in any rush, Police Girl." He phased through the manor doors, chuckling in her ear.

"Well that's apparent. Let's go." She rolled her eyes and started walking. After a few minutes, her Master spoke to her.

"Do you intend on walking the whole way?" She kept walking. "Ah, so you're ignoring me now? How petty." Turning to him, she yelled.

"Maybe if you weren't so rude all the time, I wouldn't have to be _petty._ " She saw his grin widen at her, sparking her anger further. "You cocky bastard! You think this is funny?" Alucard leaned against a tree on the path, laughing.

"I think it's hilarious. You look absolutely divine when you're upset." Her eyes opened wide and she growled at the vampire before her.

"How dare you?! I understand why Integra hates you so much!"

"Do _you?"_

"Do I what?"

"Hate me." He was no longer laughing, and now his tone was serious. Seras furrowed her brow and looked around for a second, confused by the change of tone.

"Of course I don't hate you. But that doesn't mean I'm not angry." He smiled again.

"Alright. Would an apology make you feel better?" Narrowing her eyes, she crossed her arms.

"An apology?" He nodded. "From you? I've never heard you apologize for anything." He shrugged and cocked his head slightly.

"Do you want one, or not?"

"Yes, I'd like one." He sighed, the sound almost sweet, and strolled up to her. Placing his hands on her shoulders, he pulled her in closer and leaned down.

"My Seras Victoria," he purred silkily, "I owe you an apology. I should never have teased you the way I did."

"You call stealing my knickers, replacing my bullets with blanks before missions, spiking my blood with booze, and turning into bugs and rats in my arms teasing? You're a child!" He grinned at her, eyes full of humor.

"Those were all funny!"

"No. No they weren't. And I know you still have a pair of my knickers." His grin faltered and his eyebrows raised slightly.

"I do. I'll give them back when you stop throwing a fit." She sighed.

"You're ridiculous. Honestly, you're centuries old and you still think playing annoying pranks on me are funny?"

"Hilarious." He studied her expression for a moment. "Would a kiss make you feel better as well?" He watched as her face lit up and a small smile came over her lips. She blushed slightly and looked away shyly.

"Maybe…" He smiled himself, and moved his hands from her shoulders to her waist. Leaning down, he rubbed his nose against hers for a moment to make her look up. He watched her eyes blink slowly, filled with anticipation.

"Close your eyes." She did. He closed his and pressed his lips against hers, pushing gently. She pushed back into the kiss, moaning quietly, moving her hands to rest on his arms. _Oh god, every time we kiss it's like the first time. That gorgeous electricity, buzzing through my mind. She is amazing._

Seras pressed her chest into his and felt his hands travel a bit farther down her waist. She heard his voice whisper into her mind.

" _ **Seras, we need to go."**_ She pulled away from him gently and watched him open his eyes.

"Alright. Let's go." She smiled at him as he leaned back up to his full height. Turning away from him, she focused her energy on their desired location and disappeared in a flurry of whispy shadows.

Alucard watched his Childe teleport, pride blooming in his chest. _She's amazing._ He followed suit.

* * *

Alucard left Seras to take care of the ghouls as he went to search for the vampire. He sniffed the air, the peppery smell of a false vampire filling his senses.

The scent took him down a dark path, nearly overtaken by plant life. He placed his Cassul back into his jacket and walked with his arms at his sides. His vampiric senses were working to find the FREAK, and he knew that he was coming close to it. He stopped walking and listened to every acute sound surrounding him. Pushing the sounds of insects digging, animals walking, and tree branches shaking in the gentle breeze out of his focus. He came to the wet sound of flesh tearing and used his third eye to fully locate the FREAK.

* * *

It took no time at all for him to come to the chipped vampire and he watched the young man devour pieces of a mutilated corpse. Pulling out his gun, he addressed him.

"I hope you've had your fill. It's time to die now." The FREAK's head jerked up and turned around to the red-clad Count. The younger vampire smiled and stood.

"You must be the King?" Alucard cocked his head slightly and narrowed his eyes behind his opaque amber lenses.

"Yes. And you?" The vampire walked closer to Alucard, looking up to the tall man. Brushing his shaggy brown hair from his face, he smiled wider.

"Oh me? I'm nobody. You're going to kill me, and then I'll be nothing. But I've been sent with a message."

"Is that so?" The young man nodded vigorously.

"Yes. The Countess Bathory agrees to your terms. She has amassed dozens of her fledglings and has had them create many, many ghouls. Much more than I managed to tonight. It will happen the 14th, as you said." Alucard grinned.

"Ah, isn't that amazing news! I thank you very much." Alucard raised his gun and placed it on the man's head. "Good night." He watched as the man's body turned to gore and ash, a grin on his face. He could still hear Seras shooting ghouls and turned to return to her.

As he strolled back to her, thoughts ran through his head. _It's only a matter of days before we can be free. This is glorious. It's been so long since I've been free to do things of my own will. Ah, I can taste it already._

* * *

Seras smashed the head of the last ghoul with her boot, grinding it into the ground. She looked around at the piles of ash and blood, wrinkling her nose. "I hate that smell." She heard heavy footsteps and turned around to see her Master. He walked towards her, kicking the piles of ash into the wind. "Hello, Master. Anything exciting happen?" He sighed.

"Oh, no, not much." She smiled at him, placing the gun he gave her into her boot.

"Well," she motioned around her, "I got some exercise." He hummed as he walked up to her and wrapped his arms around her.

"Mm, I can see that." He kissed the top of her head. "I have a question for you." She nuzzled into his chest.

"What's that?"

"Well, we can either go home, or we can go for a stroll." Seras was a bit shocked by his sudden proposal.

"Well, uh, where would we go?"

"Nowhere in particular. Just… around." She looked up into his eyes and smiled, seeing he was being genuine.

"Ok. Let's do that." He smiled back, his features softening. He pulled out of their embrace to start walking from her. She watched him for a moment before joining him.

* * *

Seras sat on the edge of a short wall dividing a hilly area and a running stream. She stared into the crystal clear water, watching fish swim to and fro. She smiled as she kicked her feet in the air slowly. Their walk had taken them to a gorgeous landscape, green and hilly and hidden from the modern world. Seras hadn't ever seen anything so beautiful and vacant, untouched by modern society, in person. She'd seen pictures online, or in books. The closest she got to anything like this was on a mission, where the beautiful grass was stained with blood and ghouls littered the countryside.

But here she sat, content and calm. _I almost feel… free. Is this what it's like? Being a free vampire? Is this what Master felt like before he lost everything?_ She looked around behind her for him, finding him laying down on the grass, surrounded by tall trees several meters away.

She rose, walking over to him, enjoying the brush of the long grass against her. As she came close to him, his eyes opened and he looked to her. She sat next to him. "This is beautiful." He kept his eyes on her as he answered.

"It is." She looked out to the land.

"Is this what it feels like?"

"Is this what _what_ feels like?" She sighed contently.

"Being free?" He cocked his head at her and leaned up on his arm.

"Is freedom something you crave?" She looked to him.

"I'm not sure. I wonder what it feels like. But I don't know if I'm ready." He reached out and touched her hand.

"You think you're not ready because you've never felt independent. You're hesitant because all you know is dependency, captivity. The whole time I was gone, you haven't even gotten to know yourself." He clucked his tongue. "To answer your question, freedom feels like waking from a long slumber. Being able to do what you wish rather than only what you are commanded to. You are bound to nothing, you listen to your own desires, not another's. It feels like this, I suppose. You could always drink my blood and find out." He grinned at her.

"I don't want to be free from you though." His chest tightened and he felt an intense flurry of emotion flow throughout himself.

"Well what do you want to be free from?" She sighed and shrugged.

"Sometimes I feel as though I want to leave Hellsing. It's not that I dislike doing what we do, I don't. I just… I don't know. And I know I can leave, but I just don't want to. It's odd. I want to leave, but I don't. If I left, I wouldn't know what to do, where to go. I would have nobody. Well, I'd have Pip, but he can't help much. You'd still be here. I could potentially become a target." She sighed once more. "I just feel so captive. I love doing things like this, it helps me forget for a moment and just _feel._ "

Alucard nodded, running his fingers over her hand lightly. _You won't have to worry about any of that soon enough, draga mea. We're both going to be free to roam the night._ "I shouldn't even be complaining. You've been through so much; my whining must be so annoying for you." He looked at her as she sighed the words out. He furrowed his brow, allowing his shadows to curl around her legs gently.

"I'll admit; you can definitely be annoying. But now isn't one of those times, Seras. I…" he sighed. "I _care_ about you. I care about how you feel. I want to know how you feel, and I want to give you everything I can to please you." His words came out without any effort from him, as if what he said was obvious to the world, and Seras stared at him. She reached towards him, touching his face and he brought his eyes to hers.

"Do you mean that?" He furrowed his brow at the question and answered, his voice back to his usual condescending tone.

"Of course I do. Why would I say something I don't mean? You still act so human, it's unbelievable." She took her hand from his face and scowled. _There goes the romance._ Sighing, she crossed her arms.

"Whatever. Master?"

"Hm?"

"Do you like it better when I call you by your real name?" He shifted slightly, laying his head down next to her thighs.

"Better as opposed to what?"

"To me calling you 'Master'? I know we talked about what I'd call you once I drank your blood, but I just wondered." He was silent for a moment.

"Of course I prefer it when you say my name. 'Master' isn't exactly what I'd like to hear you call me for the rest of time. When you say my name, it's… It's _nice._ I much prefer it to 'Master' and especially to 'Alucard' but 'Master' will do." He paused a moment. "For now." She smiled.

"I like doing these sorts of things with you."

"What do you mean?" She laid down, looking up at the stars through the leaves of the trees.

"Just… being."

Time passed and Alucard breathed in the chilly air before looking to the sky. It was getting brighter, closer to dawn and he sat up. He was content, being like this with her, but they had to go before the sun came up. It wouldn't kill her, and it wouldn't hurt _him_ , but he didn't want _her_ to get hurt. He placed his hand on her stomach and rubbed her lightly.

"Seras," his voice was a whisper before he realized she was asleep. He shook her a bit more roughly before barking at her. "Seras!" She awoke, eyes flipping open quickly as she bolted up and made a move to punch out in front of her. Alucard dodged her punch by simply moving back a few inches. Chuckling, he stood. He held his hand out to her. "We must be going now. The sun will be rising soon."

Seras blinked at him slowly, not comprehending, so he sighed and pointed at the sky. She followed his hand and looked up. "Oh. Right." She rubbed her eyes before standing and stretching. "Ok, let's go." Seeing that she was about to phase to the Manor, Alucard stopped her.

"Seras, you shouldn't do that. You're tired, and it's likely you'll end up somewhere else. Just hold on to me." She looked at him and nodded her head. She _was_ tired, and her mind was fuzzy. She wrapped her hands around his waist, snuggling into his warmth. Alucard focused his energy on transporting the both of them back to the Manor.

As they landed in the foyer, he suddenly realized that Integra hadn't called into his mind the entire night. He looked down to Seras to see that her eyes were fluttering closed. He smiled down at her before placing a hand under her chin to have her look at him. "Do you want me to carry you?" Seras shook her head lazily and murmured something against him. He chuckled and leaned down, picking her up and cradling her in his arms. He took her to his bedroom, placing her into his coffin gently. He watched as she wiggled around, getting comfortable.

Alucard sighed, walking over to his chair. As he sat, he checked on his Master to find that she was asleep. _For how long? I didn't get a single order from her the entire night. Odd._ He stretched his legs out, folding his hands in his lap. His mind was filled with the gentle buzzing of both Seras' and Integra's sleep. He too would be sleeping if he wasn't so excited.

 _Everything is coming into plan. In a week from now, 8 days, Seras and I will be free. Over 100 years of being a slave to the Hellsing family is coming to an end. I'm glad Seras has only had to endure 30 years. Granted, her experience was much different than mine. But she doesn't deserve to be a servant. She is much greater than that. She is a queen. And soon, she will be_ _ **my**_ _queen._ Alucard was brought from his thoughts by a light knocking at the door.

"Enter." The heavy door was opened by the tall butler, Vincent. The man looked to Alucard and gave a small smile before looking to the open coffin in the corner. The long ebony coffin was wide open, with the small, blood-stained blonde vampire laying asleep in it. His brow furrowed slightly and he cocked his head.

"Does she sleep here often?" Alucard sucked his teeth for a moment.

"I suppose." Vincent nodded slowly, and Alucard pushed into his mind.

" _Should I tell Sir Integra? No, I don't think it's that important."_

"Whether or not you tell on me doesn't matter that much, Vincent." The butler choked a bit.

"You read my mind?" Alucard nodded slowly.

"Is there a reason you came to bother me at such a late hour?" Vincent came further into the room, earning him a suspicious glare from the vampire.

"I noticed you and Miss Victoria were out all night. I merely wondered if you two had come back yet, and where you have been."

"With all due respect, Vincent, I am not required to tell you anything." The butler nodded.

"Oh, I know. I'm just asking. You don't have to tell me anything." Vincent walked over to the sleeping Draculina. He ran his gloved finger along the smooth wood of the coffin. "I didn't know vampires could do that."

"Do what?"

"Sleep in another's coffin. I thought they had to sleep with their own soil."

"It's not a requirement of vampirism. Vampires can sleep wherever they please, whether or not they are accompanied by the soil of their birth place. All it does is help us heal possible injuries better, and aide in rejuvenation. But fresh blood in certain amounts does the same thing."

"Ah. Well, that makes about as much sense as anything else, I suppose. Do vampires dream?" Alucard sighed heavily.

"If all you're going to do is ask me questions about my kind, may I refer you to the library? It's very large and just _filled_ with delightful information on the supernatural." Vincent chuckled and turned back to Alucard.

"Yes, you're right. When did you two get back?"

"About thirty minutes ago."

"Where have you been?" Alucard grinned wickedly at the butler.

"Oh, I took Seras on a little trip to a few nearby villages. Pillaging, killing, drinking the fresh blood of pure, virgin children. Quite romantic, actually." Vincent's dark eyes rolled and he sighed.

"Did you complete the mission?"

"Yes."

"Good. What will Integra do to you if she finds out that you two sleep together?" Alucard shrugged.

"Most likely separate us again." Vincent nodded. He seemed to think about something for a moment before replying.

"I won't tell her then." Alucard cocked his head and furrowed his brow.

"Why would you do that? I haven't done a thing for you."

"No," Vincent strolled closer, "but from what I've heard from both Miss Victoria and Captain Bernadotte, and from what I've witnessed as well, you seem to have no ill-intent towards her at this time. I look after her, and I have been ordered to."

"Why? Seras is a grown woman, a Nosferatu. Why would she need you to watch over her? I already do that."

"No, no. Sir Integra has ordered me to look over her because of _you._ At this point in time, I see no reason to intervene. I only have her best interest in mind." Alucard scoffed.

"Of course you do! Please, thank my Master for me! My fledgling can certainly be a handful sometimes. Any extra help is appreciated." Alucard's every word dripped with poison, nearly sparking Vincent's anger. He kept his calm though.

"Alucard, certainly you can understand why Sir Integra and I have concerns, can't you?" Alucard narrowed his eyes at the human.

"Concerns? Concerns about what? Seras is **mine.** My fledgling, to do what I wish with. I created her. I **saved** her. What the hell do you think I'm going to do? Destroy her? Kill her? Force her into unending servitude like was done to me? She has chosen to stay with me. She refuses to drink my blood and become a solitary vampire because she doesn't want to be without me. Our relationship is not one-sided, Vincent." Alucard's voice rose from a soft call to loud growls as he became more and more enraged. Vincent glared at the vampire and came close to him, despite the dark shadows swirling in the room.

"Do you really not understand? Do you not believe that, given your history, it is a possibility that you will hurt her? A high possibility? Are you really _that_ jaded? That's rather pathetic." Alucard's eye twitched and he felt his gloves start burning his flesh as he thought of killing the man. He took a deep breath and grinned.

"That would be pathetic. But I know how I feel about Seras. I will do everything in my power to keep her safe, and to prevent her from pain, and if you have doubts, it doesn't matter to me. I don't have to prove myself to anybody. Now, I think it best that you leave, before anything gets… Out of hand, hm?" Vincent stared at the vampire, furrowing his brow. _Why is he so calm now?_

"Fine, I'll go. But do not forget what I said."

"Oh, I don't think I will."

Seras shifted in the coffin, mumbling in her sleep. Both men turned to the sleeping Draculina, and Vincent sighed before leaving. Alucard was left in his chair, alone with the slumbering Seras. He clenched his jaw, grinding his teeth together roughly.

 _How dare he have the nerve? If he isn't killed by somebody else, I'll be sure to rip him to pieces. I'd expect that from Integra, with her thinking she's out of my reach, but a butler? Even Walter had more common sense than to speak to me like that. I should have… No. I did the right thing. If I threatened him or injured him, it would only make things more complicated. But… Their concerns may not be entirely unsubstantiated. My history with others has not been the best. But that doesn't mean anything. I care about her. I want to give her her every desire._

Seras mumbled again, bringing him out of his slowly moving thoughts. He cocked his head, listening to her.

"Master, stop. You're being a pervert." Her words were thick and hard to understand, but he caught that much. He smiled to himself and decided it was time to sleep.

After sliding into his coffin, next to Seras, he brought her close to him. She smelled of grass and blood and sweat and muted strawberry conditioner, and he breathed it in deeply. Seras wriggled against him, closing the small gap between them. She always seemed to want to sleep all curled in on herself, like a small child. It was half surprising to Alucard that she didn't also suck her thumb. _She wants to feel safe, secure. Even though she's a powerful Nosferatu, she still wants to feel protected. It's endearing. She is safe, with me. I'll protect her. If anybody crosses her, I will destroy them._ He yawned silently and his eyes fluttered, lids heavy. He hummed against her, feeling comfortable and content.

He fell asleep, cradling Seras in his arms.

* * *

 **April 13** **th** **…**

Pip watched on as Seras teased her Master, taking his hat and placing it on her own head and proceeded to mimic him. She lifted her Jackal and pointed it at him. She then spoke to him, imitating his deep voice poorly with her high one.

" _Nights like this make me want a bite to drink. Police Girl! You idiot! By the way, are you a virgin? I just want to know so that I can shoot you in the chest, blowing you to bits,_ _and then turn you into a vampire even though I could easily shoot the vampire behind you without hurting you. No big deal, right?"_ Alucard cackled and Seras kept going. " _I can't stand trash like you pitiful freaks. You're not worthy of my time, pathetic waste of immortality. Who am I? Your death. Nothing I shoot ever gets back up again. Releasing control art restriction system 3, 2, 1!"_ She made gun sounds with her mouth, smiling at her Master.

Pip laughed along with Alucard. The elder vampire spoke between his laughs. "My, my, Police Girl! That's quite the impression! I think it's only fair I do one of you." Seras lowered her gun and smirked.

"Go ahead." She narrowed her eyes. "If you dare." Alucard winked at her before speaking with an exaggerated British accent.

" _Oi, Mastah, I can't just shoot the ghouls! They were people! You're mean! Forcing me to rip apart these soulless husks! Oh, what's this? Mastah, you've grown a mustache. I wonder what it would feel like if I kissed you. Would it tickle?"_ Both Pip and Seras were holding their stomachs, chortling. Seras tried to speak in between her heavy laughter.

"I… did not say that!" Alucard continued.

" _And yes, I_ _**am**_ _a virgin! I've been saving it, all for you! I'm so glad that you turned me into a vampire and gave me this new life! I'm so grateful!"_ He paused before speaking in his regular voice. "Oh wait, you've never said that. My mistake." He grinned at her and she tried to catch her breath.

"Pip, stop laughing at this! It's not an accurate portrayal! You, Master, would not be my first choice in a film about me."

"Really? I thought it was well done, mignonette!" the Frenchman slapped his knee and chuckled.

"Thank you, Captain, I tried my hardest," Alucard called out across the room.

* * *

The three of them sat in the kitchen, the vampires having just finished their nightly blood. Seras was standing across from Alucard, the table in the middle of them. She fingered the bridge of his hat on her head idly, enjoying the feel of the soft fabric. Pip leaned against the large refrigerator, next to the stove. Alucard grinned at her, his eyes peeking over his opaque lenses. Seras leaned over the table and tapped her Master's hand. She let her finger lay there.

"You know, I head from Vincent that there's supposed to be a Roundtable meeting tomorrow night."

"Mhm."

"You knew?" Alucard flipped his hand, trapping hers underneath.

"Seras, I've already committed this month's schedule to memory."

"Why?" He shrugged.

"It passes the time." She turned to Pip.

"What about you? Did you know?" He nodded.

"Oui, I like knowing these things before you." She rolled her eyes.

"And of course I'm the last to know anything." She pulled out the chair next to her and sat down, her hand still being held by Alucard. She heard footsteps coming and pulled her hand from his just as Integra walked in.

"Why are you three always in the kitchen? None of you can even eat food!" She chuckled. Seras turned to her.

"Well, I come here because it always smells nice. Like fresh tea and bread." She hummed. "And the men follow me here because they both enjoy annoying me." Integra leaned against a counter top, crossing her arms. She smiled warmly to Seras.

"Were you looking for us, my Master?" Alucard called out to her. She waved her hand dismissively.

"Oh no. I was just walking about. What have you all been up to?" She stared at the large red hat on Seras' head, falling into her eyes.

"You just missed the performance of the century, Integra!" Pip chuckled. Her eyebrow rose.

"Oh did I?"

"Yes, my Master! I was just telling Seras how annoying she is!" Alucard grinned at Integra, then at Seras, who began to blush to a shade rivaling the hat on her head.

"No, no, let's not talk about that! It was nothing!" Seras laughed awkwardly, shaking her head. "Do you want to sit down, Sir?"

"No, I'm actually just going to go to the library for a while."

"Oh?" Seras pushed the hat out of her eyes to better see the woman. "What are you looking for?"

"Nothing in particular. I just planned on looking through some of my father's books. Any information on Bathory, really."

"Why's that?" The petite girl's brow furrowed.

"It's been quite some time since she's tried any attacks. I suspect she's planning something, so I'm going to research any of her previous strategies. Perhaps we can prepare ourselves against any possible assaults."

Seras nodded and looked to her Master. His face was blank and he folded his hands on the table. _Why isn't he saying anything? Odd._ "Alright. Will I see you again tonight, or do you plan on sleeping in the library?" Seras smiled at Integra, the woman beaming in return.

"It's not set in stone, but I'd assume the latter, Seras. Good night." The woman walked past the trio, exiting the back of the kitchen. Seras called out to the woman.

"Good night, Sir!" Seras turned back to her Master. "What's the matter?" He looked up from his gloves, eyebrow arching.

"Whatever do you mean?"

"You barely said a word to Sir Integra, and when she mentioned Bathory, you got really quiet. Is something about it bothering you?"

"Seras, you're incredibly annoying sometimes. Are you aware of that?" Seras narrowed her eyes.

"How on earth am I being annoying? Because I'm concerned about you? Master, _you're_ ungrateful." He chuckled in response.

"I suppose I am. You certainly choose the strangest times to be concerned, though."

Pip watched on curiously. He'd noticed Alucard's strange behavior too, at the mention of Bathory. Pip had noticed strange behavior on Alucard's part often, since his return. Once, he had even seen him burning what appeared to be a letter to him. He never questioned the vampire, only watched and placed the memory in the back of his mind. He also never told Seras of any of the times he'd noticed such odd behavior. It wasn't that he didn't think she'd like to know, or that he didn't think it was important, he certainly did. He just knew that the things he did… _meant something._ _Something important is coming. And I think he's going to bring it upon us. Whatever he's planning on doing, it's secret enough to keep from Seras. What is it, though? What is he going to do? I bet anything, it's got to do with this Bathory woman. Is he planning on killing her himself? No, then what was that letter? It's something else._

Pip was brought from his thoughts by the feeling of eyes on him and prodding feeling in his mind. He quickly put up walls around his thoughts and looked up. He met the crimson orbs of Alucard, staring at him with his head slightly cocked. The vampire's eyes were narrowed slightly, as if he was trying to figure out what the familiar was thinking. _He must be trying to read my mind. Why?_ "Did you want something, Alucard?" The vampire smirked at the Captain and shook his head lightly.

"Nothing at all." Seras looked between the two men before sighing.

"Since we don't have any missions tonight, why don't we go do something?" Pip's eye widened.

"Ooh! Let's go watch Le Jeune et Dans L'amour!"

"Pip, you bloody well know I can't understand French! Every time I watch one of those shows with you, all I understand is that the actors are incredibly tacky." He walked forward, his hands out.

"But that's the appeal, mignonette! The over-acting is the selling point! You think a regular person would fall to their knees and scream to the heavens after learning of their lover's betrayal fifteen years prior? Mon dieu! It's the best." Seras blinked for a few seconds. "Besides, I have the latest episode recorded." Pip smiled widely. Sighing, Seras conceded.

"Fine. I'll watch your bloody shows with you." His smile widened.

"What about you, Alucard? Will you be joining us as we watch troubled youth fight for true love?" Alucard scoffed lightly before standing.

"No, I don't think so." Seras stood, bouncing to stand in front of him.

"Master, please! If I have to go through that… that… torture," she glared at Pip, "at least help me through it!" He held her gaze for a moment before turning towards the exit. "No!"

"Unless the program includes scenes of intense gore and disturbing images, I think I'll decline the invitation."

"Master!" He waved at them with his back turned, phasing out of the room. Pip threw his arm around Seras' shoulders and chuckled.

"Looks like it's just you and me, cher!" Seras sighed and walked with him to the soldier's quarters, to watch the television.

* * *

Integra sat in the library, her nose in a heavy book. It was old, at least double her age. It held information on major vampires and other supernatural entities, and she had just finished a section on Alucard. The book said that Alucard was several centuries old, _true,_ was known to have an ever increasing amount of power and abilities, _very true,_ was captured by Abraham van Hellsing, _thank god,_ and had been subject to multiple experiments to test and further his abilities, _incredibly true. For better or worse, who knows?_ Integra closed the book and sighed.

"None of these bloody books have anything useful!" She heard a deep laugh surround her and instantly recognized it. "Alucard, do you happen to know anything of interest?" He appeared before her, sans typical red garb. He wore only his dark suit, and Integra realized how skinny he was. _Perhaps he wears such big clothes to appear more menacing, like an animal._

"I deeply apologize, my Master, I know nothing about her that you do not. At least, nothing that would be of any use to you." She nodded her head.

"Of course not. Alucard, tell me something."

"Anything, Integra."

"Do you enjoy immortality? Or would you rather have death?" She didn't quite know where the question came from, or why she asked. Alucard bristled slightly, before clearing his throat.

"It doesn't matter." Integra nodded once more and looked to him.

"No, I suppose it doesn't." She stood and looked to the large grandfather clock in the room. Her eye widened. "My god, it's already 3 am?"

"Mm. Time flies when you're occupied, doesn't it?" She looked to see him grinning at her.

"And just what have you been doing?" He shrugged, walking and sliding his finger over the surface of the bookcases.

"I decided to join Seras and Captain Bernadotte while they watched some silly television program in the soldier's quarters."

"Ah, I remember when Seras and Pip used to watch soap operas every week. That was years ago, I assumed they'd both abandoned the tradition." Alucard hummed in reply, having picked up the book Integra had sat down. He chuckled.

"Whoever wrote this book must not like me! 'Known as Count Dracula to many, the vampire king, now known as Alucard, is said to have many great abilities. Yet, he could not defeat the human Abraham van Hellsing.' How disrespectful!" He laughed before closing the book. He looked back to Integra. "What exactly did you expect to learn from this thing?" She shrugged and stretched.

"I was hoping to learn something new."

"About me, or about our enemy?" She narrowed her eye at him.

"I assure you, I already know too much about you." He grinned and walked over to her.

"Oh, there's a lot about me you don't know, Master." With that, he walked away and left her alone in the library. She furrowed her brow and looked in the direction he disappeared to.

 _Whatever could he mean by that?_

* * *

Seras sniffed at her pillow, smelling the freshness of the laundry soap. She smiled to herself as she snuggled into it. She felt Pip sleeping deeply in her mind and she felt herself start to drift deeper as well. The air around her shifted, though, and she opened her eyes to see her Master staring down at her.

"Yes?" Her voice was quiet and high, slightly abrasive in the silence. She thought she saw him smile a bit, but she blinked and it was gone.

"Mind if I join you?" She shook her head and felt him take a spot behind her, getting under the covers. _That's a first. He usually lays on top of them._ She smiled as he pushed up against her comfortably, molding with her body. She wriggled against him slightly, settling herself. She felt soft purring from his chest and spoke.

"You know; I sleep the best when you sleep with me." She heard him hum into her hair as he pushed his face into it. "I could do this forever."

"Then do it." She nodded gently in response to his words.

"I will."


	22. Revenge

_**Ferne's Thoughts:**_ I currently have about two other decent (At least I think) plots for fics that I'll be posting later this week. One might be a one-shot, I'm not sure. The other one is going to be a full-length fic like this one. I'd like to thank everybody for their continued support and enthusiasm regarding Unchained! It feels great to know people appreciate and enjoy my work! Action heavy!

 _*** I don't own Hellsing, Kouta/Kohta(? Everytime I see it, it's spelled differently) Hirano does. I am not affiliated with Mr. Hirano, and if I was, Seras would look like me, a chubby brunette with bad eyebrows. ***_

* * *

 **April 14…**

Seras awoke to the smell of blood. Her eyes snapped open and she bolted upright. She looked to her electric clock to see a blank screen. _Is the power off? What the hell?_

She stood, noticing that Alucard was nowhere to be seen. She focused and heard muffled screaming and gunshots coming from higher levels. "What?" She ran to her closet, stripping off her skimpy pajamas and throwing on her uniform. She laced her boots and woke up Pip. The Captain appeared in front of her, rubbing his eye.

"What is it, Seras? I was dreaming." She pointed to the ceiling, adrenaline starting to push through her veins.

"Do you hear that? Something's happening. It reeks of blood." He looked up.

"I'll go check." She nodded and paced as she waited for his return. It took what felt like hours, but was probably only minutes. He came in with eyes wide and gun drawn.

"What? What's going on, Pip?" He shook his head rapidly.

"I… I don't know. There's ghouls all over the place. I saw a few vampires, too. I shot one right in the head." Seras gasped and went to grab her gun from her vanity, but found it nowhere.

"What the hell? Where's my gun? I put it right here!" Her mind was moving quick in her panic, and she felt her breath quicken. She almost wanted to cry, but she didn't know why. "Pip, do you know where it is?"

"No, but we don't have time to look for it. We've got to go." She nodded, turning and running out of the door with him.

"Pip, did you see Master? Or Integra? Vincent? Are the soldiers ok?" Pip just shook his head slowly.

"Seras, a lot of the ghouls I saw were wearing Hellsing uniforms. I don't think they're all alive." She huffed, her pace slowing down. "I didn't see Alucard or Integra anywhere. I didn't even see Vincent. I don't know what the hell is going on!" She stopped and gasped.

"Oh my god. The Roundtable meeting! Cor, this must be Bathory! We need to check on the Roundtable members!" Pip nodded.

"I'll go ahead and take care of ghouls and vampires that I see, you go on ahead."

"Ok. Be careful." He looked her in the eyes, seeing her worry.

"Don't worry ma cher. I always am." She smiled and turned, running down the hallway.

* * *

As she ran, not a single coherent though made its way through her mind. She was trained for things like this, had been through things like this, but she was worried. She didn't know why, but she was. _This time… it feels different._

She finally made it to the foyer, to find it filled with corpses and ghouls. The stench of rancid flesh and blood made her wrinkle her nose in disgust. She looked out at the ghouls, seeing dozens of red berets and Hellsing patches. She started noticing individual men and felt her chest ache.

"Aria, Johnson, Carver, oh god." She looked around more, recognizing even more of her men. "Oh no. This is my fault. I didn't train you well enough." She felt fury rising through her veins, coupling with the adrenaline. "You didn't deserve this." She walked into the mass of undead. "None of you did. You were good men." _And now I have to put you all to rest._

She cried out as she grabbed the first ghoul, punching through his chest. She continued to claw and crush and tear into the former Hellsing soldiers. She used her shadows to slice them in half, rip off their heads, destroy their rotten brains. She breathed in deeply as she killed the last one. She felt like collapsing, crying for her men, but she stood in place. "I put you to rest. All of you. I'm sorry." Seras knew it was foolish to get so attached to them, but she couldn't help it. Many of them looked to her like she was their own mother, and she saw some of them as her children. She knew they would die, they were human, _but not like this. Not like this._

She sighed and moved up the stairs, treading through piles of ash and guts, eyes full and angry. There was nothing on the staircase, no vampires, no ghouls, nothing even suggesting an attack. She rounded a corner, leading into a hallway and saw two forms. She came closer and called out, noticing they weren't ghouls.

"Who the hell are you? Are you responsible for this?" The two forms turned around and as Seras came closer, she could smell their fear. She grinned, feeling blood-lust mix with her anger. The forms were of a girl and a boy, both vampires. Their eyes were bright red, a different shade than hers. Theirs were more pink, as hers were crimson. She stopped several feet from them, her shadows splaying out around her, ready to strike.

"Seras Victoria… We were told you wouldn't interfere," the girl stammered.

"Interfere?" She laughed darkly. "Interfere with what? The senseless murder of my men? My soldiers? **My friends?** " She took a step closer. "You killed my men. Now I'm going to kill you." The two vampires shook and turned to run. "What? You can't even try to defend yourselves? Pathetic!"

Quicker than they could run, she caught them by the ankles with her shadows. She lifted both of them up, their screams filling the otherwise empty hall. Walking towards them, she cracked her neck. "I find it hard to believe that you two pieces of shit turned all of Hellsing's defenses to ghouls. How many more are there?" Neither answered, so Seras slammed one into the ground, breaking many bones and scaring the other.

"There are a lot! I don't know how many, but there are a lot of us. Madame Bathory brought many of her fledglings, and a ton of ghouls. Please, if you let us go, we'll never come back! We're sorry!" Seras laughed cruelly.

"Let you go? After what you've done? Not only are you pathetic, but you're an idiot too!" She slammed the two of them repeatedly, turning their bodies to lumpy masses of gore. Dropping them, she walked to them. When she reached them, she swiftly crushed their heads under her boot. She noticed something shining amidst the ash that was once a body. She leaned down and picked it up, finding it was a gun.

She checked the magazine to find it fully loaded. "This should work nicely." She smiled slightly and continued on.

* * *

Alucard grinned and laughed as he looked out upon the destruction taking place in the Manor. His Master had ordered him to kill the ghouls and vampires, and he did. He destroyed any that came near him. But in the meantime, he sat in a chair on one of the top floors. A soldier tried crawling away from ghouls, near him. Alucard sat and watched, chuckling. "How beautiful. This is marvelous. Amazing!" His Master was unharmed so far, but most of the soldiers were gone – either dead, eaten, or ghouls. He felt a quick bolt of electricity in his mind and his eyes widened. "Seras." He jumped up, feeling her awake. He hadn't expected her to awaken, especially so since he used his powers to make sure she stayed asleep. _They didn't work. Of course not._

He walked over to the ghouls eating a soldier and killed them, leaving the man gasping for air, his organs exposed. Alucard looked down on him for a moment, before stepping on his head. He could hear the groans of ghouls lessening and he realized that his fledgling must have been taking care of them. He made his way to the Council room and phased through the door.

Upon entering, he heard several of the men gasp quickly before calming. Integra turned towards him and walked over.

"What's going on? Alucard, what happened to my men?" He shook his head before answering.

"They've all fallen." Integra growled.

"That bitch! She'll pay! What of Seras? Where is she?"

"I am not aware of her position, though I do know that she has awakened and is most likely destroying the enemy as we speak." Integra nodded.

"Vincent!"

"Sir?" The butler stepped forward, drenched in blood and ash, gun in hand.

"Go out there and defend. Kill anything that threatens you, Hellsing, or God. Go!" Vincent walked towards the door.

"Yes, Sir." He glanced at Alucard before leaving the room.

"I suppose the remaining threats will be making their way here soon." Integra sighed and walked to the table of men.

"Yes, I assume you're correct." Alucard leaned against the wall.

"Do you know who the enemy _is?_ "

"The one and only Elizabeth Bathory, my Master." She chuckled humorlessly.

"Of course! I should have seen it coming. Hell, I should have prepared for this!" One of the younger men spoke out, his voice shaking.

"Shouldn't we leave? Isn't there a chopper or anything?" Integra sighed again.

"They've already cut the power. I'm not going to take the chance of them having sabotaged the chopper too. Besides, there's no way to use it, not without a pilot. And I highly doubt any of you know how fly a helicopter." The table murmured in fear and disappointment and Alucard fought to hold back a grin.

"I haven't seen Bathory yet, I don't even know if she's here." Integra nodded.

"She will be. She wanted me dead months ago, and she sent somebody to do it. They failed, and I guarantee she wants to kill me herself. She'll be here."

Gunfire filled the hallway, alerting everybody in the room to a presence outside. Alucard turned as Seras burst through the doors, covered in blood and eyes fiery. The room gasped and her eyes roamed it until she found Integra.

The girl ran towards the woman, taking her into a tight embrace. Alucard felt extreme jealousy at the act but tucked the emotion away. "Oh, Integra! I'm so glad you're still here! What the hell is going on?"

"Seras!" Integra pulled away from the hug. "Good lord, what's happened to you?" Seras took a few steps back, running a hand through her blood soaked hair.

"There's so many. All the soldiers, oh god, they're all gone. All my men are dead." Her voice cracked slightly, and everybody thought she was going to cry. She swallowed her tears, though, and continued. "It's that bitch, Bathory. Every one of her fledglings I've found have told me. They're pathetic, begging for me to let them go. As if I'd show any of them mercy." Seras' voice turned into a growl and she turned to Alucard. "And just what are you doing?" His eyebrows rose. "I don't see you killing any of those disgusting pieces of shit! I don't see you doing anything! You should be out there, defending everybody! Where were you when everybody was being killed? What the hell are you doing!?"

Alucard felt his jaw drop slightly before he bared his teeth at her and snarled. "Don't you dare talk to me like that. It will be the last thing you do, Seras. Do you want to die like those weak soldiers of yours? Hm?" He closed the gap between them. "Watch. Your. Tone." Seras growled back at him, showing her own teeth.

"That's enough!" Integra pushed the two apart. "I know this is stressful, but Seras, you shouldn't speak to Alucard that way. He's been fighting, just as you have. And Alucard," she pushed him farther away from Seras, "do **not** disrespect our fallen soldiers. And do not threaten Seras, especially around me. Do you understand?" Alucard looked into her eye, finding hidden fury laying deep in them.

"I understand… My Master." He straightened up and looked out into the hall. "How many were out there just now, Police Girl?"

"Four."

"Ghouls?"

"No. FREAKS." He clucked his tongue and nodded.

"Alright." He turned to leave the room, roaming into the halls once more to kill the remaining enemies.

* * *

Seras closed and locked the Council room doors, turning back to face everybody.

"Is anybody in here injured?" 'No's' ran throughout the room. "Ok, does everybody have a weapon? A gun?" The men all pulled pieces from their pants, laying them on the table. Seras smiled. "Good. We can get through this, alright? Don't be afraid. They won't beat us."

She walked over to where Integra stood, against the far wall. "How did this happen? How did this start, Sir?" The woman sighed, turning looking to the ground.

"We've been in here for two hours, Seras. It started out as a few ghouls crawling the grounds, then it just grew and grew into… into this! It was as if we killed one and then another was created. I don't understand. Our men were trained for this! Bathory must have used some sort of hypnotism or something to get them off guard, make them start killing each other. I can't believe we've fallen so easily, Seras. After 30 years of little to no incidents, this happens." The woman turned as Seras placed her hand on her shoulder.

"We will beat this, Sir. We are stronger than this, than these pathetic vampires. Master and I can take care of this. Even Vincent can. We are stronger than this. Hellsing is stronger than this." She leaned in to the woman's face. "You are stronger than this, Integra." Seras brought her hand from Integra's shoulder and cupped her cheek, bringing her eyes to look into hers. "You are the strongest woman I know." She noticed the hint of tears in Integra's eyes and stood up on her toes, leaning in to the woman's face. "This is nothing for Sir Integra Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing."

Without thinking, Integra leaned down, her lips meeting Seras'. Tears rolled down her pale cheek, and she placed her hands on the girl's back. She expected Seras to pull away, but she didn't. She leaned in to the kiss. Integra could hear the men murmuring behind her, but she didn't care. A quiet moan forced its way out of her throat and against Seras' soft lips. The men surrounding her started to yell, and in an instant, she felt something pierce her chest. She broke from the embrace, blood pouring from her mouth. The world started spinning slowly and she saw a woman, smiling down at her as she felt herself falling. _I'm going to die. I know I am. I can feel it. But I will not die keeping my feelings to myself. Nothing else matters right now but her. Hellsing will crumble beneath us, and with my death, it will fade. Alucard will rise to power again, and Seras will go with him. She loves him, not me. But she feels something for me, even if it's just pity._

Seras looked on in horror as Integra fell, blood covering her chest and face. Seras' mouth fell open and she heard nothing. The entire world went silent, black and white except for Integra. She fell with her, catching the woman in her arms and dropping to her knees. She couldn't breathe, and she felt frozen. She looked up slowly, seeing a beautiful woman standing above them. The woman seemed to be laughing, but Seras couldn't hear. She turned to the other roundtable members, only to see them losing a fight against ghouls. _How did this happen so fast?_ She looked back to the woman, now gazing at her hands. The woman held a dagger, short but lethal looking. It was covered in blood, the red liquid dropping down the woman's pale flesh.

Seras looked back into her face and saw satisfaction, deranged, evil, satisfaction. She grinned wickedly and licked the blade. If Seras thought the woman was beautiful before, all thoughts of beauty faded into nothing but boiling hatred. Seras' hearing came back slowly and she could now hear the screams of the men, the crunching of flesh and bone, moans of ghouls. She heard the woman chuckling and looked back down to Integra.

Integra laid in Seras' arms, choking and coughing on blood. She reached up and cupped Seras' face as bloody tears started to roll down her cheeks.

"Don't cry for me, Seras." Seras shook her head.

"Integra…"

"We both knew this day would come. The day that I would die."

"No, Sir, don't say that! You won't die, you can't!" Integra coughed lightly, clutching her bleeding chest.

"I've been stabbed in the heart, Seras. I _am_ dying."

"No, Sir, please, just wait for Alucard! He'll change you, he'll give you his blood! You don't have to die now!" Integra laughed softly, her lungs running out of effort to give.

"No he won't. I don't want him to. I will die a human, Seras. I will die tonight." Seras' tears flowed thicker now, covering her face.

"Please… Don't leave me! You can't. You can't." She shook her head violently, pulling Integra closer. Integra felt her run her hands through her hair.

"Seras, listen to me. Come closer." Her voice was getting weaker as she lost more blood. Seras leaned in, her cheek brushing the elder woman's. "Stay strong, Seras. Never give up hope. Alucard, he… Just keep your guard up around him. He will try to force you into things, don't let him. Don't ever let him take advantage of you or hurt you. Stay strong for me. Stay strong against him, stay strong against the world, and stay strong against those who wish to harm you. You will become great, Seras, I know it. Seras… I…"

"What? You what, Sir?" Seras could feel the life draining from the woman. She shook her lightly as her eye fluttered, threatening to fall closed. "Integra!" The woman lifted her hand to touch Seras' face. Her hand caressed Seras' cheek, wiping tears away gently.

"I love you." Her hand fell limp, landing on her chest and Seras' chest tightened and ached.

She could hear the commotion surrounding her, and even heard Elizabeth speaking to someone, but she couldn't make out the words. Integra wasn't dead yet, but she would be in a matter of seconds and Seras knew. She leaned in, forcing her lips on the woman's and feeling her lips push gently back. After a few seconds, Seras felt the woman go completely limp in her arms. Her heart had stopped, and Seras raised her head. She couldn't stop the tears from falling and she pulled Integra's body closer to hers, cradling it completely. She raised her head, letting out loud, heavy sobs. She wailed and shook, hugging the corpse in her hands. _No. No. This can't be real. This isn't real._ She sucked in heavy breaths before finally opening her eyes.

She looked around her, taking in the carnage. All of the Roundtable members were dead, either ghouls or just piles of gore. She looked down at Integra, covered in blood. The woman looked peaceful, the remnant of a small smile on her mouth. Her eye was closed, and blood still poured from her wound. Seras lowered her, gently, still shaking from sadness. She moved long, pale strands from the woman's face, and placed a light kiss on her cheek. She leaned up and wiped the bloody tears from her face before standing. She turned around and saw Alucard standing in the open door way, looking down at Integra. Seras felt like crying again when she saw him, but she forced the sobs back as she spoke.

"She's dead. Gone. She died, in my arms." Her voice was slow, mournful. He nodded, and silence fell over the room. Harsh laughter broke the silence and Seras turned to see Bathory, sitting at the head of the table, twirling the knife she used to stab Integra between her fingers.

"Such a pity," her voice was beautiful, if not cruel. "Little Miss Hellsing is dead. And look at that! You didn't even drink her blood! Good job, Miss Victoria! I thought she tasted wonderful, from what I had." She licked her red-painted lips in emphasis. "That was quite the romantic display, by the way. Oh, Vlad, you should have seen! Seras and Integra kissed like old lovers! Perhaps their relationship is – sorry, w _as_ a bit different than you thought." Seras felt numb for a moment before the rage burned through her.

"Do not speak to my Master, and do not speak of Integra." The woman cackled louder.

"Oh, darling, you _are_ a naïve one, aren't you?" She crossed her legs in the chair.

"That is Sir Integra's seat."

"Is it? It's nice." Bathory grinned and Seras' shadows flew around her rapidly.

"Get out of it."

"Oh, I don't think I will." Seras breathed in deep before freezing completely. Bathory looked on, curious before calling out. "Vlad, I think your fledgling just broke." Alucard took several steps towards Seras before she yelled.

"Master, aren't you going to do anything?" Her eyes were on Integra's body. He spoke slowly, feeling the restraints on him and his power weaken.

"No, Seras. I'm not." Her head turned to him quickly, anger and confusion filling her eyes.

"No?" He shook his head. "This bitch just killed Sir Integra! And you're not even going to do anything?"

"No. This is done. We should go."

"Go? Go where?" He opened his mouth to speak, but she stopped him. "You can go straight to hell, you bastard!" She turned to Bathory. "And you, you tactless cunt, can follow him!" Seras charged at the woman. Elizabeth laughed and dodged Seras' attack, landing swiftly behind her. Seras snarled turned around.

"What, are you going to kill me, girl?" Seras nodded slowly, eyes glowing. "Good luck. We'll see who dies first." Alucard grabbed the woman as she went to swing at Seras.

" **Don't!"** The woman was distracted by Alucard, letting Seras charge and tackle her.

Seras was on top of her, a hand around the woman's throat. With her shadows, she sliced and stabbed at every inch of flesh on the woman's body. She heard gunshots in the room but paid them no mind. Alucard also shouted to her, which she ignored. She sliced at the woman, but all she did was smile and laugh. Seras bounced Elizabeth's head on the floor, caving it in. She felt somebody pull on her hair as she was dragged back. Screaming, she clawed at the hand and it let go.

She turned to see a young girl, around 17, with dark curly hair. Seras growled at her and the girl backed up slightly before speaking.

"Touch my Master again, and I'm going to rip you apart." Seras laughed loudly, throwing her head back before impaling the girl with her shadows.

"Shut your fucking mouth! Your _Master_ is a filthy fucking murderer! She's going to die tonight, and you will too." Seras turned back around to see Elizabeth standing and twirling her long hair around her finger.

* * *

Alucard watched on as Seras fought Elizabeth. Every swift slash, every rapid dodge set him on edge. _I'll let her fight, but the moment she is injured, I'm killing Elizabeth. If a fight is what Seras wants, I'll let her have it._ He stood against the door frame once more, watching the fight grow increasingly intense. Elizabeth wasn't even trying, he could tell. Seras was strong, but without his blood, she wasn't as strong as Elizabeth. He twitched a bit as Seras was punched hard in the jaw, teeth flying and bone breaking. Seras swung back, kicking Bathory in the chest and sending her flying through the stone wall.

He followed as the two women took their fight to the hall, Seras dodging every attack thrown her way. Elizabeth grabbed her by the neck, however, and spoke quickly.

"You're pathetic. You honestly believe you can defeat me? I'm not a ghoul, or one of those pitiful chipped vampires. I'm real. What are you? A small, weak fledgling. I'm going to destroy you, and not even your Master there can help you." Elizabeth leaned in, replacing her hand with her jaws. Alucard's eyes widened and he stepped forward. Seras broke from Bathory's grasp, falling to the ground.

Her throat was ripped out, blood pouring from her wound. "Well, well! Your blood is delicious. Sweet, pure, even in your un-life! What a treat." The woman licked her lips and pulled her up by the collar. "Are you ready to submit?" Seras spit in the woman's face, and Bathory dropped her. She healed her wound and stood. Pip was calling to her in her mind, asking if she wanted help, but she declined. _I need to do this myself._

* * *

She stood up, feeling weak, and turned away from the woman. "Master…" She looked to Alucard, and he moved quickly to her side, catching her as she fell. Elizabeth cackled in the background. He held her.

"Seras, please stop this. You're hurt. Please." His chest ached, and he was ready to kill Elizabeth. But if Seras wanted to try again, he didn't want to take that from her. Seras looked into his eyes, and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"I'm ready." He cocked his head, not understanding. "I want to drink your blood now. I'm ready. Please." His eyes widened slightly and a smile crept onto his lips. _Yes, finally. I'm so proud of you, Seras._ He nodded and leaned in.

"Keep drinking until I tell you to stop, draga mea."

Seras reached up, lips parted, and brought his neck down closer to her. She felt his warm flesh meet her mouth and gave soft kisses, which turned to sensual licks. He groaned against her, and she opened her mouth wide, biting down on him. Her fangs and teeth forced their way through his skin, through his muscle, and she felt his blood run into her mouth, hot and flavorful. As she consumed him, she felt herself heal, rejuvenate. Her eyes opened wide and she felt electricity soaring through her veins with every swallow.

Elizabeth called out in protest, but nobody paid her calls any mind. Seras enjoyed the tingling sensation throughout her body. _It's like I'm turning again. Being reborn. This is amazing._ She gulped quickly and heavily, swallowing his energy. She felt her body quivering, her muscles flexing and her bones realigning. Though her eyes were open, she didn't see her surroundings, instead, she saw what appeared to be memories.

Memories of a young boy being beaten, raped, taken advantage of. Memories of a teenager, his rage and hatred growing with every year. Memories of a man, killing, murdering, fighting, _and enjoying it._ A man, doing what he thought god wanted, what would make god notice him. A man, destroying empires while creating his own. A king, killing his own subjects, sacrificing lives that he was supposed to protect, all to reach his own goals. A man, losing faith in a god, whom he was once so determined to please. A man, losing his final battle, because of his own greed for war, for violence, for power. A man, who felt abandoned by god, and decided to abandon him in return. A man, losing his life and becoming an immortal creature. A man, who's hate against god slowly turned into hate for himself as he realized that it was not god who forsake him, but he himself who drove his own actions. A Count, being tricked and defeated, becoming little more than a slave to a vampire hunter. A great and powerful being, tested, poked and prodded. Abilities enhanced via means of torture. Pain and sadness, self-hate and depression. A monster, so human, yet not.

Seras watched on as Alucard's memories flew into her mind, tears falling down her cheeks. _His life has been so_ … _horrible. I can see why he never wanted to speak about his past. He blames himself for everything that's happened to him. My god. How could I have never known? He's been through so much torture._ She came across memories of her, of the time she's known him, all jumbled.

Their first meeting, the adoration and pride that he felt towards her. The affection that he tried to hide, turned into careful teasing. Integra, forbidding him from showing such affection. Integra, admitting her feelings for Seras to him. Alucard, feeling jealous of his Master and the time she spent with Seras. With _his Seras._ The intense need to protect her, help her grow and become great, become strong.

Fighting Millennium, Walter, and the other Nazi's. Fighting Anderson, and feeling such s _adness_ that another had chosen to make the same mistake as he, damning himself. The pride toward Seras, learning she'd drank blood and became stronger. Disappearing within himself, fighting off the countless souls he had taken inside himself, both from the blood of those slain during the incident, and from centuries prior. Hearing a voice calling out to him, speaking to him. Wanting, no, _needing_ to follow that voice, _that lovely voice_. Needing to return to it.

Wanting to give up, ready to end it all. Remembering his _sweet, sweet Seras._ Realizing he needed to return to her. Killing every last soul and coming back.

"Seras, that's enough." She pulled away from his neck reluctantly, licking the wounds. The memories danced in her brain, folding themselves away neatly in her mind. She felt light-headed, like she was going to faint. She breathed in deeply and locked eyes with him. His eyes were half closed from the blood loss, and the pleasure from the experience. He smiled slightly, hands still cradling her. Everything happened quickly, less than a minute, yet it felt like years.

* * *

She felt his power running fiercely through her veins, rushing through her every nerve. She blinked, her eyes becoming more precise. Her hearing became enhanced. She felt strong, much stronger than before. She knew she needed to rest but she couldn't, wouldn't until Bathory was killed. She brought her lips to his, kissing him lightly. He kissed back heatedly. As he looked into her eyes, he knew she was closer to being his equal. He already thought of her as such, and now, he wasn't her Master. Now, he was simply her companion, her lover. She stood, and he rose with her.

"Seras, you shouldn't fight now. You need to rest."

"No. Not until she's dead. Ash beneath my boot. Dust, blowing away with the breeze," her voice became increasingly heated as she remembered what Bathory did to Integra. Alucard reached for her wrist, and she gently pulled. He let go, allowing her to end the battle.

Seras looked around her, seeing people watching on in awe and terror. The girl who pulled her off of Bathory was there, looking nervous. Vincent was there, gun in hand and covered in blood. Pip stood next to him, smiling. He saluted her and winked.

"Give 'er hell, Seras." She smiled back, turning back towards Bathory. The woman was smiling, hand on hip.

"Just because you drank Vlad's blood, you think you can kill me? Haven't I showed you otherwise yet?" Seras shook her head slowly, walking towards the woman. Seras' hair floated around her, shadows surrounding her, whipping out violently with every step. She was laughing, the sound slow and menacing. She looked up into the elder vampire's eyes, and for a moment all Bathory saw was Vlad. She chuckled fearfully before whispering. "I was wrong."

Seras' shadows ran at the woman as she attempted to flee. They pierced her, stabbing her stomach, her chest, her legs. Seras came closer and more shadows slashed at the Countess. She screamed, both in pain and terror, all her cockiness gone. Seras grinned, her face glowing. Her head moved jerkily with every step, making her resemble something akin to a broken bobble-head. The shadows now held Elizabeth in place, several inches off the ground. Seras walked right up to her, and held her face in her hands.

Elizabeth tried and tried to break free from Seras' hold. With all her power, she couldn't fight it. The most she could do was regenerate any lost limbs or wounds, as soon as Seras let go of her. But the girl didn't. Seras held onto the woman's face and spoke.

"You would be rather beautiful if you weren't so disgusting and cruel inside."

"Cruel? Your beloved Hellsing was cruel. Killing vampires for no other reason than being vampires. And you, you killed your own kind. That's disgusting." Seras' face took on a calmed expression, grin gone.

"Are you ready to die and face your afterlife, Elizabeth?" The woman bit at Seras, missing her face. Seras' eyes narrowed.

"I will never die. You will, but I won't. You can't kill me. No matter whose blood you drink!"

"You're not ready for death? How pathetic! You dare to take another's life from them, yet you yourself aren't willing to die? You should be ashamed of yourself!" Seras' voice was a loud growl as she spat her words at the Countess.

"Let me go!" Seras wrapped her hand around the woman's neck, feeling the vertebrae snap and her bones break in her grasp. The woman was crying, tears of blood streaming down her face. Seras leaned in and licked them away.

"You're a monster, Bathory. Monsters don't beg." Seras took her hand off of the woman's neck, forcing it into her torso. She slid her hand up and through her own shadows, disemboweling the woman as she screamed. Seras grinned widely now, as she spoke. "I will avenge you, Integra. I will destroy this pathetic bitch. Annihilate her!" She bit down harshly on the woman's throat, and allowed her blood to flow freely into her mouth and down her throat. She could hear her fledgling crying out, begging her to stop, so she threw her shadows back, piercing the girl in the stomach. The girl's blood, too, ran into her, through her shadows. She felt powerful, limitless. She chomped at Elizabeth's throat, through the muscle and bone, her screams becoming wet chokes. She finally let go of the woman.

"Come on then! Fight me! If you're not ready for death, fight me! Fight back! Fight for your place on this earth! If you don't, you'll only be greeting the devil sooner! Come on, Bathory!" She picked up the woman as she started to regenerate. " **FIGHT ME!** " The woman merely flopped in Seras' grip, wheezing as she tried to breathe through her torn throat. Seras laughed and tossed her down. "Looks like you're all talk, Elizabeth. All I did was bite you. And now look at you. Aren't you supposed to be powerful?" Seras was fueled by her rage. She cared of nothing but revenge, destroying her enemy, ending the life of that bitch, Bathory. She wanted nothing but to feel the life of her draining away. She placed her boot on Bathory's head, rocking it about. The woman moaned as she did so. Seras cackled, the sound insane and wild, rivaling her maker's own.

"Please…"

"There you go with that begging nonsense again! It's really not going to get you anywhere with me." She was getting tired of the game they were playing and decided to end it. She stomped on the woman's head, crushing it. She twisted her boot in the gore left behind, stopping only once it was all melted away. Turning around, she brought her shadows back. She felt the air move behind her and turned just in time for Elizabeth to force her arm into Seras' chest, ripping out her heart.

Seras fell to her knees in front of the woman, hand going to her chest. She looked up and smiled. "That's it. I want a fight!" Her heart regenerated quickly, the skill enhanced by Alucard's blood. She stood and clawed quickly at Elizabeth's head, chunks of flesh and bone flying out. The woman was weakened from the fight, and Seras doubted she could last much longer.

They danced a great fight, dodging and attacking, hitting and missing. They bit and they clawed, but Seras was always one step ahead of the woman. Seras bounced off of walls, kicking deeply into Elizabeth. She jumped over the woman's attacks. Bathory tried summoning a familiar, but was too weak to do so. Seras laughed as the woman became too tired to keep fighting, finally dropping to her knees in front of the younger vampire.

Seras stopped attack and kneeled down to the Countess' height. " _Are you ready to submit?_ " She held the woman's head up in her palm.

"Kill me." Seras looked into her eyes before smiling.

"As you wish." Seras ripped the woman apart, pulling her head from her neck, her heart from her chest. She crushed them both, and watched as the woman turned to piles of ash. The girl behind her wailed again, before sobbing. Seras turned to look at her. "Does it hurt? Huh? Having somebody you love ripped from you? Tell me, are you in pain?" The girl nodded, tears falling down her face. "Good." Seras began feeling light-headed once more, finally falling to her knees. She exhaled a large breath before falling over and fainting.


	23. Drowning Grief

_**Ferne's Thoughts:**_ Fun Fact About Ferne! I'm a vegan. So to put out vegan propaganda, I like to make Seras a vegetarian, even though it's not canon. Like when she was human, I like to picture her as a vegetarian, no matter what the tv series or OVA has to say. So, that's why I always have her drooling over cakes and stuff and no 'main dishes'. Most 'main dishes' include meat, at least in traditional English food. Anyway, that's that! BTW: Alucard will be referred to as Vlad now that Seras drank his blood. Drama bomb alert in this chapter, also NSFW material towards the end ;)

 _*** This is my disclaimer. It states that Hellsing is not my property and the Hellsing Universe does not belong to me._ _***_

* * *

Seras awoke, head throbbing. She opened her eyes, dim light filling her senses, nearly blinding her. She felt vulnerable and sensitive, more so than when she first turned. Her surroundings slowly came into view, and she could hear men arguing nearby. She sat up, rubbing her head. She noticed she was placed in a large bed. Looking around herself more thoroughly, she realized she was in Integra's room. Her chest immediately throbbed. _Is this some kind of sick joke? A bad dream? Did everything really happen?_ She remembered the fight, drinking her Master's blood, Integra dying. She remembered it all at once. Tears threatened to pour out and she stood.

She walked over to the large dresser and looked into the mirror. Her hair was shiny, healthy looking. Her skin was clean, at least her face was. Her arms were covered in red stains. _Wait. Arms. My arm is back! Oh my god, my arm is back! I haven't seen you for thirty years!_ She smiled and laughed, joyous at the return of her own flesh and bone arm. She grabbed it, feeling it up and down. Her smile quickly faded though, as she noticed a photograph of her and Integra on the dresser. She picked it up and examined it. _This was from Christmas, last year. Integra…_

She heard the door click as it opened, and turned. Two men entered the room. She blinked hard for a moment, blinded by bright light from the other room. As her eyes adjusted, she recognized Vincent and her Master. _No, I drank his blood. He's no longer my Master. He's just… Vlad._ She sat down the photograph and smiled slightly at him. He smiled back, moving closer to her. She looked into his eyes, and they were soft, concerned.

"How are you feeling, Seras?" She shrugged her shoulders dismissively and looked up to him.

"I'm not sure. I feel weird. I feel so sensitive to everything." He nodded, taking her hand.

"That will go away after you've fed. I can take you out in a few hours, once the sun sets." She heard a scoff and looked to Vincent. He came closer to them, and put his hand on Vlad's shoulder. The vampire cocked his head but didn't look to the man.

"You will not feed on humans! And neither will Seras!" Vincent was nearly yelling.

"Pay him no mind, Seras. I'll take you out, and we can both have a nice meal." Vlad's tone was taunting, and he was obviously speaking to rile Vincent up. It worked. Seras furrowed her brow and sniffed the air, smelling Vincent's blood. She could hear it pump quickly through his veins as his anger rose. Her mouth watered and her fangs elongated. _I_ _ **am**_ _hungry._ She pulled her hand from Vlad's and turned away.

"Vincent, can you please leave?" She could hear the urgency in her own voice. Vincent cocked his head slightly.

"Why?" Vlad laughed at the man's question, turning to him and laying his finger on the man's chest.

"She smells your blood, human. She's hungry, and her body knows what it needs. She doesn't want to eat you." Seras laughed nervously.

"That's not it… Ok maybe, but I wouldn't eat you!" She heard Vincent gasp and Vlad chuckle before the door was shut, the smell of human blood leaving the room. She sighed and turned back to the elder vampire. He looked her up and down, making her feel self-conscious.

"It appears you were malnourished, Police Girl." He smirked at her and she narrowed her eyes. "You know, I'm not sure how I feel about you having your arm back. It looks odd."

"That's rude." He smiled at her.

"Seras," he walked over to her, wrapping her in an embrace. The feeling of his body against hers made her shiver, the pleasure of being held reaching down into her core. She wrapped her arms around him, pushing her face into his chest. He wasn't wearing his coat, nor his hat or glasses. He was just wearing a dark, charcoal suit. He didn't even have his tie on. All red was absent, except for his eyes. He leaned back enough to look her in the eyes. "I am so proud of you. You were amazing. You _are_ amazing." She felt herself blush slightly at the praise. She pulled out of the embrace and walked to the bed, sitting on the edge. Vlad followed and sat next to her, draping his long arm around her.

"Vincent's just standing outside. Why?" She looked at her gloves, eyes focusing on the stitches.

"He's waiting for you to speak to him. You would know that if you read his mind."

"I can't do that."

"You can do everything I can, draga mea. With practice, our abilities will rival each other." He kissed her head. "I'll always be able to beat you into the ground though." She chuckled lightly and leaned into him. She closed her eyes, tears threating to be shed.

"Integra… She's… gone." He hummed against her, and she breathed in deeply. "So it wasn't all a nightmare." She pushed her head against him harder, rubbing against his shoulder. "What happened? After I killed Bathory?"

"You fainted; your body was exhausted and needed time to heal, even more so with my blood flowing through your veins. I brought you here so you could sleep comfortably – and go through the rest of the changes your body needed to make. Such as your arm regenerating and your senses heightening. You've been sleeping for about three days. You must be starving."

"You went thirty years without blood, I'm sure I'll be fine." Vlad laughed, the sound deep and loud in the quiet room.

"I suppose."

"What about all the bodies? What happened to them? Are they still here?" He shook his head.

"No, Vincent took care of them. He wouldn't let me near any. He said I'd desecrate them. As though my very touch would send their souls to hell." His tone was full of humor, it almost made Seras want to laugh, but she couldn't.

"What about… Sir Integra?" He stiffened slightly against her, clearing his throat.

"There is to be a funeral by the end of the week." Seras nodded before chuckling quietly. The sound quickly turned to sobs, raking through her being. She could tell Vlad didn't know what to do, but she couldn't stop. She cried bloody tears into his chest, soaking his clothing for several minutes. She lifted her hand to wipe her tears away, cleaning her face. She breathed deeply, standing up.

Seras looked to a clock hanging on the wall and read it. _6:45. The sun sets in a few hours._ She looked to Vlad. He was staring at his hands, face neutral. She looked to them as well, taking in the absence of any runes. "You're free, then?" He looked up at her and smiled slightly after a moment.

"Completely." He stood, walking to her. "The Hellsing line has ended. I am free to release my full power at any time. Free to do as I please. Free to be with _you,_ Seras." He lifted her face up to his. "You're free as well. Seras, we can go _anywhere!_ We can do anything. I can give you the world."

"I don't want to do anything until after the funeral." He nodded.

"I understand that. And we won't. We don't even have to talk about anything until you're ready." She smiled.

"Thank you." She turned towards the door. "He's going to make me talk to him eventually."

"That's true. Or," he placed his hands on her waist as he stood behind her. "I could kill him." He placed his face into the crook of her neck, licking at the warm flesh. "It's up to you, though." She pushed against him, moaning at the feeling. He nipped her skin, tongue darting out to taste the beads of blood that trickled down her skin. Her breath hitched slightly, and she leaned her head back, enjoying the feeling.

He let go of her waist, turning her around to face him. He kissed her forehead, bringing her back to the bed. She giggled as he pulled her onto it, and he chuckled as she landed on his chest, legs straddling his crotch.

* * *

They laid in bed for hours, just planting little kisses and soft touches on each other. Vlad would lick her tears away when she broke, and Seras enjoyed being able to touch him without guilt, or the fear of hurting him. She smiled against his mouth and whispered.

"Is there such a thing as getting drunk on blood?"

"Yes."

"I want it. Tonight." He leaned up, looking down at her. A grin stretched across his features.

"Then you shall have it, micuto." He brushed her cheek with his hand. "We shall drink until our heart's content, Seras. Fresh, warm, human blood." With every word, he brought his lips closer to hears, teasing her. She kissed him deeply, running her fingers through his hair. _I might have second thoughts later, but I want to feed from a human. I want to get drunk, forget about all this misery and death, only if for a night. I'm a vampire, I should act like it._

She could feel Pip was aware of everything happening, her every thought. She didn't want to hide things from him, and she searched for any sense of him protesting her decision. There was none. She pulled out of the kiss, and cleared her throat. She looked to the clock again to find that it was well past sunset. She put her head against his throat and spoke. "I love you, Vlad." She felt his muscles tense beneath her and she kissed his neck. "I love you so much." He moaned with every kiss she planted, and she felt him pushing himself against her. She repeated the statement over and over, kissing in between the words. She parted her lips and suckled on his flesh gently, causing him to roll his hips against her. Releasing him, she looked into his face and saw the euphoria taking over it. She spoke again. "It's 9 o'clock."

His eyes opened slowly, and he blinked once. "Is it?" She nodded, batting her lashes at him. "Well." He picked her up as he rolled up to sit on the edge of the bed, causing her to sit on his lap. He moved stray hairs from her face. "Then I suppose you should change out of that filthy uniform, shouldn't you?" She looked down at her clothes to find that they w _ere_ filthy. She shrugged and he continued. "Once you're in some other clothes, we can leave." He smiled at her.

"What about you?" He blinked.

"What about me?" She fingered the buttons on his shirt.

"Are you going to change too?"

"I don't see the need to. Do you?"

"Well, personally, I'd rather see you out of your clothes, but that doesn't matter." _Oh my god, why did I just say that?_ She heard Pip laughing in her mind, talking about how 'subtle' she was being. Vlad's eyes widened slightly before he grinned.

"Is that so?" She pulled herself from his lap and walked to the door.

"I'll meet you outside, alright?"

"Mhm." She could feel his eyes following her as she made her way out of the room.

* * *

Once outside, she breathed in the air, sucking it deep into her lungs. She could still smell a hint of blood in the Manor. She made it passed Integra's office before stopping. She looked back at the room, deciding to go in it another time. _I'll be sure to tell everybody to stay out of it. Everybody? Who is everybody? There's Vincent and Mast…Vlad. Then me and Pip. Pip, don't go in there._ He agreed.

* * *

She made her way to her room, noticing the Manor was even cleaner than before the attack. _Of course._ Walking in, she saw that her room had left alone, and in the messy state it was three days prior. "Thank god."

She walked into her bathroom, allowing Pip to leave her mind and form himself. He stood behind her as she washed her face and brushed her teeth. He leaned against the doorframe, his arms crossed.

"Seras?" She mumbled a reply, brush in her mouth. "I'm very sorry about Integra." Seras stopped brushing for a second, before continuing. "And the others. About everything. I wish there was something more I could have done. But there wasn't." She nodded and spit.

"I know Pip. None of this is your fault. Nothing is on you. I don't blame anybody but that Bathory bitch. But she's dead now, so it doesn't matter." Pip shifted his weight onto his opposite foot.

"Are you really going to drink from humans tonight? Kill them?" Seras finished brushing and turned to Pip.

"Yes. I am. Why?"

"You just never have."

"I've never been allowed to, or wanted to."

"And you do now?" Seras thought for a moment.

"Yes, I do. Did you think you would be my only?" She winked at him and walked back into her room, towards the closet.

"Darling, I had only hoped," Pip sang out to her. "You're not doing this for Alucard are you?"

"Technically, his name is Vlad. He's not Alucard anymore. Alucard was just something the Hellsing's created to keep him under their dominion." Pip's eye widened.

"Where did that come from? Are you suddenly an expert on him?" Pip chuckled slightly.

"When I drank his blood, I absorbed a lot of his memories. I learned things I never would have known, about him and the Hellsing family. And I also know his opinion on those things. For the most part, even if I may not agree. But, in this case, I do. They took away his name, his freedom. They did cruel experiments and tests on him, first to contain his power, then to grow it. Alucard is just Dracula backwards anyway, it's not even clever." Pip laughed heartily at her tone and words.

"Seems as though you've given it some thought!"

"I never liked the name Alucard. I always thought it was dumb. I just didn't want to insult him by telling him that to his face." She opened her closet, pushing clothes out of the way. She settled on a black faux leather skirt, a red velvet corset top, black stockings, her trusty leather jacket, and her combat boots. She wore a pair of leather fingerless gloves as well. She felt naked without any.

She stood in front of her mirror, admiring her outfit and the way everything looked on her. Her nails were even painted the dark plum that Vlad bought her, months ago. The skirt pouffed out in just the right way, it wasn't too long, nor too short, the corset was perfect, the soft wine colored material almost glowing in the light of her room. Her boots also gave her an extra few inches, which she was used to, but it was nice. She wrinkled her nose as she examined her eyes. "Pip, have my eyes changed color?" The Captain appeared right next to her, his face mere centimeters from hers as he looked into her eyes.

"Oui, perhaps they've gotten a shade or two darker? They look almost exactly like Alu- sorry, _Vlad's_ eyes. Fiery and deep, like a sea of blood, swimming in your eyes." Seras nodded and turned back to her reflection. She proceeded to put a thin line of eyeliner on her top lid, then mascara. She pinched her cheeks slightly, making her look more alive with the blush that rose. She smiled and tucked some hair behind her ear.

"Well, Pip, I'm ready. I'm going to go out there, kill humans, and get drunk. I'm going to forget about the life I'm living, if only for a night, ok? Don't try acting like my father or chaperone, ok? You can stay out as long as you want, like always." Pip nodded and bowed.

"As you wish, princess." Seras slapped his hat off his head and scowled.

"If I'm the princess, you're the servant." He smirked.

"I would be your slave if you wanted, mon amour!"

"Ha, ha." She rolled her eyes and made for the door.

"Don't do anything I wouldn't do!"

"What _wouldn't_ you do?" Pip laughed as she smiled at him and left. She walked through the halls, making her way outside to meet Vlad. Sure, she could've just phased out, but she wanted to take the trip. It felt right.

* * *

Seras walked out, seeing him sitting on the front steps looking to the sky. He turned his head to look at her and smiled as he took in her form.

"Well, well. Is this for me?" Seras scoffed and walked over to him.

"I'll have you know; I wore this exact outfit to a New Year's party a few months ago." He smiled and cocked his head.

"Oh?"

"Oh." She sat next to him.

"Didn't you once tell me to stop wearing so much black?" She smiled and nodded slowly, knowing what he was getting at.

"I did."

"Seras, I don't think I've seen you wear anything other than black, or red. Yet, you have the _nerve_ to tell me to be more colorful? God forbid you take your own advice." She laughed and nudged him with her shoulder.

"I guess I just grew out of color. Besides, darker shades suit me, don't you think?" His eyes met hers and he bit his lip slightly.

"Mm." Standing, she turned away from him.

"Come on, let's go."

"Don't mind if I do."

* * *

Vlad enjoyed the feeling of holding Seras close to him without the burning of the runes on him. He had his arm draped over her shoulder, her head resting against his chest. They were walking through the streets of London now, having raced each other to the city.

He watched her face as she took in all the bright neon lights, her eyes filled with awe. _She truly does live for the night, doesn't she?_ He smiled to himself as he leaned down to whisper into her ear. "How do you feel?" She turned to him.

"It's a bit overwhelming. Well… A lot overwhelming. I could hear things like heartbeats and blood pumping, but now, it's as if everything has been magnified. I'm really hungry." He nodded, returning his gaze to the street in front of them.

"Well, you can drink your fill tonight."

"I've never… I don't know how to get, well, you know." He chuckled and kissed the top of her head.

"I'll show you how. It's simple, humans are stupid and trusting."

"You were human once, you know."

"Not for a very long time, Seras." Vlad stopped in front of a brightly lit pub. "Now, one thing you need to remember is that if you drink the blood of somebody who is intoxicated, you will become intoxicated as well." He pointed out a man stumbling outside the pub. "The same goes for blood that has drugs or other chemicals in it. Anything in their blood will go into you." Seras nodded.

"So where should we go?" Vlad let his arm fall from her shoulder.

"Follow me."

* * *

He led Seras down the sidewalk, her hand in his. He was scoping out the humans surrounding them, looking for an easy target. His eyes came across a young man, barely 20 years old. He was nervous looking, fresh faced and _all alone. Perfect._ He let go of Seras and pointed out the young man to her.

"Him? With the freckles? He looks like a kid."

"Don't tell me you're having second thoughts about this, darling." He smirked at her and she narrowed her eyes.

"No. What do I do?"

"Go over to him, get him to trust you somehow. Then, take him over there," he pointed to an empty alleyway, "where nobody can see you. Then, just bite him." He bit at the air, eliciting a giggle from the girl.

"You make it sound so simple."

"It is." He pushed her forward. "Go, find out for yourself."

"But what if he-"

"You're a vampire. Just act like it."

* * *

Seras sighed and walked towards the young man. He was standing on the far end of the sidewalk, leaning over the short wall overlooking a pond. She straightened her skirt out as she walked. _What do I do? Do I hypnotize him or just flirt? Just talk? Attack? Threaten? What if he's a hunter? Oh god, I'm almost there. Oh no, he looked at me._ Seras smiled sweetly at him, despite the nervous thoughts in her head. She could practically hear Vlad laughing at her.

She came to the man, standing next to him. He looked positively shell shocked at her appearance and she read his mind.

" _ **Wow, she's beautiful. And is she wearing contacts? Goth girls are so cute. She's so small! Well, not everything's small. What's she doing standing next to me?"**_ She spoke to the boy.

"Hi! I'm Seras." She leaned against the wall, her boot tapping against it lightly.

"Oh… Uh, h-hi there. I'm Justin," he stammered. _He's adorable._

"Are you here by yourself, Justin?" She made sure every word was sticky-sweet.

"Ah, yeah. I decided to take a stroll through the city. I called up some mates, but none of them wanted to come." _I don't think you had many mates to call, Justin._

"That's a shame. I'm here by myself as well. Just walking, looking for somewhere to go, somebody to do." Wink _. Please notice I said that._ Justin blushed slightly, eyes widening.

"Oh? Well, ehm, I can keep you company for tonight. If you'd like." Seras moved, coming closer to him.

"Really? You'd do that?" He nodded. "That's so kind of you. Thank you, Justin." She placed her hand on his chest. "Say, love, how about you come with me?" He nodded dumbly and Seras grabbed his hand, taking him to the empty alley the elder vampire showed her.

"How old are you, Seras?"

"I'm 19."

"Do you go to one of the Uni's around here, or…?" She turned to him, still walking.

"Shush. Don't talk, just follow me." He nodded again.

* * *

Once they reached the alleyway, Seras led him far towards the end. She figured that from this distance, anybody would just assume they were making out. She pushed him up against a wall gently, his hand still in hers. She looked into his eyes as she brought his hand to her mouth. She flipped it around and brought her lips down to his wrist. She darted her tongue out, licking at the heat coming from it. As her tongue touched the soft flesh, she immediately felt a burst of intense hunger come over her, the scent of his blood filling her senses. Without thinking, she bit down on his wrist, hard. He started to squirm and scream, but she quickly covered his mouth with her shadows, quieting the screams.

She felt her body quiver as the warm liquid poured into her mouth, each gulp deepening her thirst. She felt him dying, the life draining out of him and pouring into her. Lifting her mouth form his wrist, she pulled him down and bit at his throat. First, she pulled, ripping his throat out and swallowing the bloody flesh, then, she bit into the wet muscle underneath it. She felt her chest tighten, her blood-lust rising. She bit harder, hungrier, the frenzy building up in her. She tore into the boy, enjoying the thrill of feeling his life slip away. It was as if her whole body was alight, a burning need ripping through her body. _More. I want more._ She bit down harder, flesh giving way to arteries.

She felt the stream of blood lessen as he died in her arms. She didn't stop drinking until long after the blood started to cool, completely draining him. Seras pulled her head back, breathing in deep. She licked her lips, catching more blood. She wiped her face, letting the body fall to the ground, lifeless. She heard chuckling from behind her and turned around to stare at her maker.

"Good job, Seras! You certainly are hungry, aren't you? You didn't even leave me anything, selfish thing." He grinned at her, pride and lust in his eyes. Seras was panting, feeling a slight high from the blood.

"If you wanted some, maybe you shouldn't have just watched like some sort of voyeur." He laughed, walking over to her and taking her into his arms.

"I'm feeling rather hungry myself. Let's go find some more food, shall we?" She nodded against his chest, and they walked away, leaving the corpse all alone.

 _I could feel his life slipping away. I could taste it in his blood, once he died. It was delicious, and amazing, and I feel so good right now. Still hungry, but good. I wonder what Integra would say if she knew? She'd be disappointed. I can't think about her right now. I… I might cry again. I don't think I even feel guilty. Is that bad? Vlad can do it. I want to be able to do it too._

* * *

As Vlad walked on through the dark London streets with Seras under his arm, he felt a small pang of jealousy mingling with the pride he felt for her. _She tore into his throat so effortlessly. I could_ _ **feel**_ _the hunger coming from her, her need. I didn't like seeing her speak to another, the way she did. I really didn't like the thoughts going through that pathetic boy's head. I suppose I'll have to deal with it, though. I can't be getting jealous at every meal she has. I would just rather feel her teeth in_ _ **my**_ _throat as opposed to having her bite another._

He was brought from his thoughts by Seras poking him in the chest and pointing at a group of humans. He looked to them. There were three humans, two women and one man. They were all in their late twenties, and Vlad stopped walking. They were hidden in dark shadows, several feet from the people as they stumbled along. They seemed sober enough, and didn't reek of alcohol. He pulled Seras close to him, leaning down and nibbling at her ear before he spoke.

"See something you like, Seras?" She giggled lightly before pressing herself into his chest, fingers stroking his neck.

"There's three of them."

"Mhm."

"I want us to have all of them." He grinned.

"Oh?" She nodded, looking up into his eyes. "And just how shall we split it up?" She cocked her head, smiling sweetly.

"I get one, you get one." She tapped his nose lightly.

"And what of the third?"

"We share, silly." He felt a bolt of lust shoot through him, his manhood hardening at her sly tone. His eyes narrowed in wanting and he wanted to reach out and pull her back into him as she turned towards the humans and started walking. He followed, however, and walked by her side, stalking them.

* * *

They stayed to the shadows, unseen by most eyes. Seras whispered to him, loud enough for only him to hear.

"Your turn to get them." He turned to her, smirking.

"All three?" Seras shrugged.

"I have unwavering faith in your abilities." He stared at her for a moment, enjoying the awe she held for his powers. _I shall teach her how to use them, just as I do. We will own the earth together._ He looked back towards the laughing humans as they followed them into a vacant park.

* * *

Seras and Vlad stood in the darkness created by a large ash tree in a corner of the park, watching the humans as they swung on a swing set, one woman being pushed by the other, as the man just sat on the other swing. They spoke about their jobs, and their lives.

"They live together, all three of them. Nobody else will be expecting them." Seras' voice was light as she spoke. Vlad nodded. She looked around them before speaking again. "Nobody else is anywhere near us. Let's go." Seras started to walk, only to be pulled back by Vlad.

"We go together. Come." They walked out, drawing the attention of the trio of humans. Vlad held Seras, his arm around her waist. They walked to a bench, never looking at them.

Vlad sat on the wooden bench first, expecting Seras to sit by him. She didn't, instead choosing a seat on his lap. He looked up at her as she wrapped her arm around his neck. _She is so beautiful._ _I adore it when she does this._ Seras' gaze went from the ground up to the dark skies, her stars swimming in her crimson orbs. He wrapped an arm around her waist, placing his face in the crook of her neck.

Seras pushed into his mouth as he suckled on her flesh gently. Her breathing picked up a bit, her hand reaching up to play with his hair. He nipped at her, his teeth begging to pierce into her. He stopped his suckling, instead choosing to plant soft kisses on her. She wriggled on his lap, grinding into his sex teasingly. He stifled a moan against her, growling warningly. She adjusted herself, pushing his head away. She still looked to the sky, but now she spoke.

"Which one do you want?" She spoke loudly, not bothering on whispering. He grinned at her bold display, and replied in the same volume.

"I'd like the brunette." She wrinkled her nose slightly. _She's so adorable sometimes._

"Why?"

"She's A-. One of my favorites." She raised her eyebrows, rolling her eyes.

"Well alright. I want the pretty one."

"Which one is that? The only pretty thing I see here is you, draga mea." He grinned at her as she stared at him. Her neutral expression slowly gave way to a grin of her own as she laughed, shaking her head.

"As much as I enjoy you casually complimenting me, that was unbearably tacky." He rubbed her thigh, still grinning.

"Is that so? I suppose I'll just have to work harder at being charming."

"Yes, I think that would be best." Their conversation had caught the attention of the humans, who now stood close to each other, watching and listening to the vampires. Vlad turned to them and spoke.

"Good evening. Care to join us?" Seras turned to them as well, smiling and waving.

"How are you guys doing? Tonight really is beautiful, don't you agree?" The man, who stood in the middle, stepped forward and looked at Seras with fear in his eyes.

"I guess."

"I believe that I would be content if I lost my life tonight. What do you fine people think?" Vlad arched an eyebrow at them as he spoke. "If you were to die tonight, would you be fine with it?"

"I don't think it really matters, Vlad. Death takes whomever he wants, when he wants. You don't ever really have a choice." Seras stood, walking closer to the three humans. "You can only appreciate the time you had and the places you saw. But I agree. Tonight is a beautiful night to die." At this, one of the women whimpered, and the man pulled out a pocket knife.

"Come anywhere near us and _you'll_ be the one to die, bitch." Seras' eyes widened slightly, a smile growing on her face.

"That's rude. We were just trying to have a pleasant conversation. But if you want to fight, we can do that, too." She paused, bringing a finger to her pouting lips. "However, I'd really rather not have any of you losing blood until I've tasted it." Vlad laughed behind her, standing to join Seras.

"My, my, Seras. You certainly are brazen tonight, aren't you! It's _delicious._ " _Her true nature is coming out. I want her so badly right now._

She turned to him. "I take it back. I don't want you to do all the work. I want to have a little fun." She looked back to the humans. "What are your names?" The three were silent, only frustrating Seras. "Speak!" Shadows whipped out around her, making the humans whimper and back away. Seras' pick spoke up, her blonde hair whipping about as she shook her head.

"I'm Mikayla, and that's Elaine and Ian. Please don't hurt us! We swear we won't tell anybody about anything!" Vlad chuckled, the sound low and malevolent.

"We know you won't tell. Corpses can't speak." He walked forward, closing in on them. They looked as though they were getting ready to run and Vlad's eyes widened. "The chase is all a part of the fun, you know." The other girl, the brunette, ran away, tripping and stumbling in her heels. Vlad looked to Seras.

"You wanted her." He chuckled.

"So I did." He took off after her, leaving Seras with the last two.

* * *

 _I probably seem like a monster to them. Well, I suppose I am a monster, aren't I? I feel sort of bad about it this time, but… It'll probably pass with time, the more I feed. Vlad seems proud of me. I actually kind of like this as well. I usually only get to kill ghouls or pathetic FREAKS, but humans are different. They're more fun, emotional, more amusing to play with. Cor, I really am getting twisted, aren't I?_

She walked towards the remaining two humans. "Please put your weapon down. I assure you, it won't help."

"You're going to kill us?"

"Please, don't!" The blonde chirped, interrupting the man. Seras sighed and ran her hand through her hair.

"Stop begging. We all have to eat, don't we?" She tried to make her voice as soothing as possible as she came within a foot of the two. She made eye contact with the blonde woman. "Just look into my eyes. It's all going to be over soon." The human nodded dumbly, coming towards Seras. The man grabbed for her.

"Mikayla, stop!" She pulled her arm from the man's grip, coming to Seras. Seras pulled Mikayla into her arms, looking to Ian.

"Sit down and accept it." The man sat down, forced by her shadows. He grunted and struggled for a moment before sighing in defeat. She could feel his anger and desperation pooling around him, filling the air. Seras turned back to Mikayla and pushed her long hair from her neck. She quickly sank her teeth into the woman's flesh, her blood flowing sweet and thick into Seras' mouth. Seras moaned in delight at the taste, the sound stifled by the blood pouring down her throat.

Seras pulled the woman's body closer, tighter, breaking bones and tearing flesh. The woman screamed, the sound gurgled as she choked on her own lifeblood. Seras' chest tightened, her body craving more of the delicious nectar. Her teeth chewed and gnawed at the woman's fleshy throat and she swallowed flesh and muscle alike. She ate and devoured the woman's neck, moving on to the shoulders of the woman. She bit into the soft, stained flesh, quivering at the sensation of more blood pouring into her mouth.

She felt the pleasure run through her body, the feeling not one of carnality, but of satisfaction, calming bliss. Before long, the blood flow slowed, and Seras dropped the body to the ground, the corpse falling with a hard thud.

* * *

Vlad had the woman pinned to the ground with one hand, the other holding her head back by her hair. He was kneeling by her, one knee in the grass. When she fell, she had scraped her shoulder. Small droplets of blood were beading on the wound, making his mouth water.

"It appears that you couldn't get very far. Any last words before I rip out your throat?" The woman was crying, the sobs getting on his nerves. Her heartbeat was equally loud, the hard thumping like a quiet song. The woman managed to form a coherent sentence in between begging him for mercy.

"I don't want to die."

"But why not? Death really is a gift, even if you don't acknowledge it as so." She continued to plead and Vlad merely stared. He pulled harder on her hair. _Pain and fear always make the blood taste so sweet._ He would have tortured her, but he didn't want to waste a drop of her blood.

He swiftly sunk his teeth into her flesh, ripping out her throat in one quick movement. He swallowed, the flesh going down smoothly along with the blood. His eyes widened as he tasted the sweet fluid. _I haven't had fresh human blood in so many years._ The taste made him ravenous, and he began to tear into the woman, slurping thick amounts of blood down his throat, devouring her muscles and tender flesh. His hunger rose high in his chest, taking over completely. His body contorted into that of nightmares, his power unrestricted. He pulled his face up from her neck, allowing her head to fall from her body, connected only by thin strings of muscle. He licked his lips, then blood from her body, before tearing into her body once more. He consumed her innards, chewed on her heart.

Bliss ran throughout his being as he enjoyed the feeling of ripping a human apart. _Her blood still tastes of fear… Delicious. My god, I haven't felt this in_ _ **so, so long.**_ After several moments of feasting on her body, he lifted his head, panting in the darkness. He stood, wiping his face on his gloves. He still held an arm in his hand, which he gave a long lick before dropping to the ground. He allowed his shadows to fan out slightly, absorbing the blood surrounding him. The stains from his clothing quickly disappeared, his scarlet stained gloves turning back to a pristine white.

He hummed as he exhaled hard. Cracking his neck, he turned back towards the park and breathed in deeply. He could smell the scent of blood coming from there and smiled. "Oh, Seras. How perfect you are." He could feel her pleasure through their bond and shivered. He laughed darkly as he made his way back to her.

* * *

As the woman's body fell, she turned to see Vlad leaning against the bench they once sat at. She wiped her face quickly and gave him a shy smile. He stood, walking over to her. He looked to the corpse at their feet and whistled.

"You sure took a bite out of her, didn't you?" Seras blushed and looked away quickly.

"Don't talk about it." Vlad cocked his head and smirked.

"Whatever you say, darling." She rolled her eyes and turned to the man on the ground. Vlad's eyes followed hers. "You wanted to share him, eh?" She nodded.

"Unless you want him for yourself." He shook his head and leaned down to the man. He took the man's face in his hand, roughly turning it to each side.

"No, we'll feed on him together." Seras cleared her throat quietly, moving towards her maker.

"Together, like, at the same time?" He turned to her and smiled gently, his eyes crinkling.

"That's exactly what I had in mind, yes." She nodded, feeling awkward about the whole thing. He cocked his head at her. "You can bite first, if you'd like."

"Oh!" She shuffled a bit, blush rising again. She looked to him, seeing only kindness in his face. She knelt down next to Vlad, and put he moved the man's head to the opposite side, giving her easy access to his neck. She smiled nervously before biting into him.

Vlad watched on in awe as Seras drank the blood. He moaned lightly and licked his lips. _This is such a delectable sight._ He felt himself hardening again and decided to bite into the young man as well.

As the two vampires drank, they locked fingers with one another. They both suckled gently on the man, not wanting the moment to end. Seras could feel herself getting more and more tipsy with each sip, and Vlad felt utter bliss, not only because of the blood, but because of the situation. Because he was feeding with Seras, quite literally. Because he had been waiting to be with her for so long. Because now he could finally have her. Because she had decided that on their first night of freedom together, she wanted to feed. She wanted to feed _with him._ He squeezed her hand in his. _Am I… Happy? I think… Am I? No. I can't be. Or…_

He felt the life draining from the man and sucked harder as the flow started to lessen. He knew that Seras was doing the same, and let go of the man's throat before she did, letting her have the last drops. He breathed in the chilled air of the night and licked his lips. He watched on as she finished off the man, letting his body go and letting the shadows that had been holding his body up go back into her body. The man fell with a dull thud, his body lifeless. He felt both adoration and admiration for the girl as she wiped her face. She turned to him, eyes blinking slowly. _She's getting drunk. She did say she wanted to, but should I let her? I'd rather like to spend the day with a sober Seras. But perhaps a drunk one could prove to be amusing. I suppose I'll see as the night goes on._

"That was nice." She smiled at him, words slightly slurred. He smiled back, leaning in close to her. Her eyes opened wide as he grabbed her face gently and licked from her chin to her bottom lip. He ran his tongue along her lip slowly and lightly before leaning back and looking at her.

"You missed a spot." She blushed and smiled, looking away.

"Well, I'm glad you managed to get it for me."

"Oh, Seras, it would be my pleasure to lick blood from your body anytime." She glared at him and stood when something occurred to her.

"What do we do about the bodies? And the one I left back in the-"

"We leave them. It's not our problem." He stood as well, towering over her once more.

"But what about when somebody finds them?"

"What about it?" She began to speak but Vlad interrupted her. "Seras, we don't exist. It doesn't matter what we leave laying around. All right? Don't worry about it." She nodded and he came to her, wrapping her in a gentle embrace. "Are you ready to go home, or do you still wish to feed?"

Seras pondered the question for a moment before answering. "I want to feed. Just one more." Vlad smiled.

"All right, draga mea. One more."

* * *

Seras held onto Vlad as they walked back to the manor. After the last meal she had, she went straight to being pissed. The human in question was also pissed, and she went for him, much to Vlad's dismay. He tried to keep her from doing it, but she pushed out of his arms and attacked the man like a wild animal. While simultaneously wanting to ravish her and punish her for disobeying his orders, he had stood and watched her feed. He knew that he would have to help her home, but that wasn't the part that bothered him. The part that bothered him was that she was getting drunk for a reason, and he _knew_ that reason.

He knew that she wasn't just going to get over Integra's death as quickly as he had, but he didn't want her to drown the emotion with blood. He also hadn't expected to see her get drunk quite so easily, but then again, she'd never really drank fresh human blood.

He wanted to carry her, but she wanted to walk. He decided that if she suddenly became incapable of walking, he _would_ carry her. But so far, they had made it to the front door of the manor without him having to take that action.

"Can you believe that we have to drink blood to survive? Like, what's that all about, anyway? It's ridiculous." Her voice was hard to understand it was so slurred. She held onto his torso as they walked, suddenly letting go and running to the front door. Vlad sighed as she tried to open the door. She got frustrated quickly and was about to smash the door down as he walked up to her.

"Seras, you need to turn the handle." She looked at him blankly before doing so.

"You're so smart." He hummed in reply as he ushered her indoors. She continued speaking as she stumbled into the foyer, swaying in place. "I bet, I bet, that you're so smart that you can do advanced maths. I always had a problem with maths, I guess I'm not too good at numbers, but I managed to graduate the police academy just fine, so I suppose I didn't really need to. Did I ever tell you about the boyfriend I had in the academy? He was so cute." Vlad groaned as he shut the door. "What? He was adorable. He wasn't sexy or handsome or as fit as you, but he was still cute." He glared at her for a moment before shaking his head and taking her in his arms, walking up to the stairs.

"Can you climb the stairs?" Seras was silent. "Seras!" Vlad's voice boomed through the foyer, drawing her attention. _Blasted girl._

"What?" Her voice was whiney, and Vlad sucked his teeth before speaking again, trying to stay calm.

"Can you climb the damned stairs, girl?" He spoke through his teeth, red eyes glowing.

"I think so." She took a few steps, climbing up the staircase. "Yes, I can!" She turned around to him as he stood at the base, a large smile on her face. He nodded and followed her up the stairs. He watched as her hips swayed, her skirt riding up slightly, allowing him a decent view of her knickers. He narrowed his eyes at the view, biting his lip gently. That is, before he realized that he wouldn't be able to do anything with her. _She just needed to get drunk, didn't she? Damn woman. Damn me for allowing her to. Damn everything._

* * *

Seras stumbled through the hall, closing in on Integra's room, Vlad in tow. "Vlad, I feel wrong about sleeping in Integra's room."

"Why?"

"She didn't want us to be together, and she certainly didn't want me drinking human blood, it's like a double sin if we go in there now." Vlad walked past her, opening the door to his late master's room.

"Don't be an idiot, Seras. Come on." He heard her whine behind him and turned, grabbing her arm. "I said come on." He pulled her gently, and she gave in, walking into the room.

"But I'm not even in my pajamas." He sighed, shutting the door.

"What a tragedy." She glared at him, earning her a solid glare in return. She sighed after a moment, walking to the bed. She sprawled out on it, kicking off her boots. Vlad watched her as she leaned up and pulled off her stockings. She yawned and shook her hair around. He moved over to her, sitting on the bed next to her. She pulled on his sleeve.

"How does it feel?"

"What?"

"Being unchained? Free from the Hellsing family?" She waved her arms in a melodramatic way, her voice taking on a dramatic tone. He chuckled lightly, leaning down over her body.

"It feels amazing. I haven't felt freedom in a long time, Seras. It's like a breath of fresh air." She squirmed around a little underneath him. "What's the matter?"

"My clothes feel _so_ tight." He stiffened a bit, clearing his throat.

"I beg your pardon?" She leaned up, forcing him to as well.

"I need to change into something loose or I'll explode!" Her voice was urgent and Vlad couldn't help but laugh. "Don't laugh at me, you undead bastard! This is an emergency!" Her outburst made him laugh harder, now holding his stomach.

"Seras, calm down."

"No, fuck you! I need to take my clothes off." His eyes widened and he stood up.

"No, keep them on, I'll go get you something from your room." She shook her head hard, peeling off her top.

"It's so tight!" He turned around quickly, getting ready to phase down into her room.

"Just… Just wait a moment." She groaned in frustration and he went into her room, leaving her alone.

* * *

As he entered her room, he was greeted by Pip sitting on her bed.

"Bonjour." Vlad looked at him and sighed before speaking.

"Where does she keep her night clothes?" Pip's eye widened.

"Why?"

"She's ripping her clothes off."

"In Integra's room?" Vlad nodded. "Why? No," Pip leaned on his knees, a smile growing on his face, "a better question would be, why aren't you helping her rip them off?"

"She's drunk." Pip's smile fell.

"How drunk?"

"She couldn't figure out how to open the front door." Pip whistled.

"Well, she's going to have one hell of a hangover tomorrow." He took a drag on his cigarette before pointing to the large vanity. "Third drawer, on the right side." Vlad turned and opened the said drawer, picking out a loose black chiffon night gown. "You don't intend on taking advantage of her, do you?" The vampire turned and glared at the familiar.

"I assure you, I intend on doing nothing to her." Pip nodded, still smoking.

"You two are going to stay up there, yes?" Vlad nodded.

"Good. I rather like having our room to myself. And her bed smells nice. Here," he picked up a pillow, holding it out towards the vampire, "sniff."

"No thank you." Pip shrugged.

"Well, have a nice sleep. Oh, she tends to cuddle things in her sleep when she's drunk. Hard."

"Nice to know."

* * *

Seras writhed on the floor, rolling on the cool carpet. She'd opened all the windows, allowing the cool early morning breeze to blow in. She jumped slightly as she heard a deep voice call out to her.

"What in the hell are you doing?" She turned her head at an uncomfortable angle to find Vlad standing by the door, holding clothing.

"I told you, I was going to explode." He walked closer to her.

"So you opened all the windows, wrapped yourself in a blanket and decided on rolling on the floor? Have you gone daft?" Seras glared.

"You're rude."

"Are you naked underneath that?" Vlad noticed the clothes strewn across the room.

"Yes." His eyes widened. "Well, I've got my knickers on." He sighed and threw the black clothing in his arms at her. It landed on her face and she picked it up. "Oh, I love this one. It's really soft." Vlad hummed in reply. "Are you going to just watch me put it on, or-"

"No, I'll leave the room." With that, he turned and exited the room. Seras blinked for a moment after his departure before sliding the night gown over her head and wriggling into it, still on the floor.

When it was on, she stood and staggered over to the door, opening it. "I'm not naked anymore." Vlad turned to her and came back in.

"Are you ready for bed?" She nodded. Vlad went over to close the windows, completely covering them with the dark drapes, in preparation for sunrise. "Good, the sun should be rising in a few hours, so we should sleep now."

Seras jumped onto the bed, getting under the sheets. As Vlad came over to the bed, he threw the blanket back over her. Seras smiled sweetly at him and he couldn't help but smile back. He sat on the edge of the bed and bent over to take off his boots. He also peeled off his vest and gloves, enjoying the feeling of the air on his hands. He unbuttoned his shirt a few buttons before falling back onto one of the pillows, kicking his way into the sheets. Seras giggled at his attempts to get into them before he finally did.

"What do you think you're laughing at?" She giggled more and poked him in the shoulder.

"You." He turned onto his side and she did the same, allowing them to lay face to face. He wrapped his fingers in her hair, sighing at the feeling of her silky strands.

"How insolent. That deserves some punishment."

"Oh? What will you do to me?" She smirked and he arched an eyebrow. He leaned in, kissing her. She kissed back, placing her small hands on his broad chest. After his meal today, he felt himself getting back to his lean form, the muscle building itself back over his body, thickening his 'd all but been starving while in servitude to the Hellsing family, what with their tiny blood packets. Seras' hands roamed over him as they kissed deeper. She opened her mouth, grabbing his shirt in her chest, mentally begging him to play with her tongue.

He obliged, slipping his own into her mouth and mingling with hers. Their tongues danced gently against each other and he felt himself harden and grow stiff in his trousers. He pulled his hand from her hair and brought it down to his manhood, stroking it gently, further hardening it. He moaned into her mouth as she suckled on his tongue, her mouth sliding up and down it. She nipped it a bit, causing him to moan again. She released his tongue, moving to nip at his flesh. He stroked himself harder, his trousers nearly suffocating him. He wanted so badly to give her pleasure, to make her moan, but he knew he shouldn't.

He wouldn't let her take anything too far, or do something he didn't have her consent for. But for now, he enjoyed the attention she was giving him. She licked his lips, placing quick kisses on his mouth before giggling and leaning back.

"I love you so much, Vlady." He continued touching himself, gentler now as he spoke to her.

"Did you just call me 'Vlady'?" She nodded.

"Yeah, I think it sounds cute, don't you? You don't really seem like the 'sweetie' or 'babe' type, and it's fun to say." She blinked slowly at him. "Unless you don't like it."

"I do. You can call me that." _I actually don't mind it._ She smiled and he rolled his hips against his stroking. She apparently noticed the movement and narrowed her eyes.

"What are you doing under there?" She smirked at him and he stopped.

"Whatever do you mean?" She gasped quietly.

"You're touching yourself aren't you?" He grinned at her, bringing his hand from his manhood up and rolling onto his back, placing his hands beneath his head.

"And if I was?" She moved over, draping herself on his chest, fingers on one hand going up to play with his dark locks.

"If you were," she slurred, "I'd ask you why you weren't touching me." He looked down to her.

"You're drunk." She wrinkled her nose.

"I am not! Even if I was, who cares?" She moved to straddle his waist, grinding in to his obvious length. He moaned and grabbed her hips, rubbing the chiffon of her gown between his fingers. She leaned down into his face and bit at the air between them, eliciting a growl from him. "I want to fuck you, Vlad. I want you inside me." She rolled and pushed into his hardness and his breathing hitched. He felt the lust he had for her rising to intense proportions and he fought to keep calm. "I want you to fuck me until I scream." She licked at his lips. "I want to _taste_ you." He moaned again, pushing into her sex. She whimpered slightly and placed kisses on his jawline. "Fuck me, right here." He was panting and bit his lip, turning from her and forcing himself to stop grinding into her warm sex.

"No." At this, she rubbed against him harder, quicker. As she spoke, her voice was breathy and lusty.

"No? You're rejecting me?" He leaned his head back in to the pillow, looking back into her face. Her eyes were slightly vacant and pleasure-filled.

"Yes, I am. Seras, stop. I won't – oh _fuck…_ " She slid further down his length, and he could now feel her wetness through his pants. She grinded against his tip, taking long strides on him. Her hands held his shirt, balled into her fists. With his hands on her thighs, he pushed her nightgown up, giving him access to the soft, supple flesh beneath. He caressed her, stroking her, feeling her bare skin against his own. _I haven't felt anything like this in over a century. How can such a simple thing be so pleasurable?_ Seras felt it too, pushing her thighs into his hands more, quivering at the sensation.

"You really don't want me? You won't have me?" He shook his head, his voice being taken from him by the sensation. "You don't want to take me?" He moaned as she leaned down to kiss him, her lips rough against his. When she finished, she licked at his lips several times, before moving to his neck, then his chest. He moved his hands to cradle her back, nails digging into her flesh, nails poking holes in the fine fabric draped over her body.

He pushed against her, going against the motions that she was making. He felt complete bliss, and his mind was being clouded by the release he needed to feel. Seras moaned above him, the sound throaty and sexual, making his lust rise. Her wetness was drenching him, making ever thrust against her amazing, even through his trousers. _I need to stop. This isn't right. I can't… oh god, that's amazing. I want her so badly. I_ _ **need**_ _her._ His fangs were elongated, begging to enter her flesh just as badly as his sex.

His length throbbed and craved her body, twitching against her touches. His head fell back, eyes shut closed. _This is going to stop. Now._ He stopped bucking against her, causing her to whine and grind hard into him. He bit his lip, tasting his blood. He summoned all the power he had, just to speak to her. "Seras, get off." She bounced on him impatiently.

"I'm _trying_ to, Vlad," she growled above him. He growled in response, the sound violent as it ripped through the room, making Seras gasp slightly and stop grinding. "Um…"

"Get. Off. Of. Me. Before. I. **Make. You.** " He spat every word through his teeth and Seras crawled off of him slowly, huffing as she laid down next to him. He reached down and cupped himself, running his hand over his length soothingly, enjoying the wetness on him. He didn't want to speak to her that way, but it seemed as though that was going to be the only thing to get through to her. He didn't want it to stop either, but he knew better. He let it go too far already, and he was kicking himself for it. He turned around, looking at Seras as she squirmed with her arms crossed tightly around her, lifting her breasts and allowing them to pool out of her gown slightly. He breathed in deep before averting his eyes.

"You can't just leave me like this. I need you." Her voice was pleading, making his cock throb.

"Do it yourself. I'm not touching you while you're drunk, Seras." She glared at him, a hand moving down to meet between her thighs.

"Fine. You're a jerk." He laughed, leaning down to kiss her forehead. He grabbed at the hand pushing her nightgown up, cradling it in his.

"Calm down, draga mea. I swear to you, I will make love to you when the time is right. I want it to be…" _Curse me for saying this._ "Special." Her eyes brightened a bit at his words and she cocked her head before looking down at his hand. Her eyes widened and she gasped, sitting up. "What?"

"Oh my god, your hands! Are those scars?!" He furrowed his brow, his gaze following as she lifted his hand and brought it close to her face. Seras looked at his hand, seeing dark, raised scars covering them. The scars were in the shape of the runes that were once on his gloves. "Is this what those gloves did to you?" She felt her chest ache.

Vlad didn't understand her actions and pulled his hand away from hers as she traced the scars with her finger. "Yes. Why?" She looked at him with wide eyes.

"Why? Are you serious? That's horrible and cruel. Will those ever go away?" He shrugged.

"Most likely not. Possibly, with time. A lot of time." She blinked and he could see tears in her eyes. "What's the matter now?"

"That's horrible and cruel and I am so sorry that happened to you." Her voice was fast and filled with emotion. Vlad didn't understand why she was apologizing. "I am so, so, sorry about everything that's happened to you. You're an amazing man and you didn't deserve all of the pain in your life, and you deserve to be happy. I want to make you happy, and give you everything you deserve, everything you want. I am so sorry, Vlad. I'm so bloody sorry."

Vlad stared at her, eyes wide and body tensed. His mouth was hung open slightly as tears started to fall from her eyes. She continued to apologize between sobs, and he looked around, not sure what to do, or even feel. He'd never been apologized to for anything, especially not for the events that had occurred in his life. He cleared his throat and she wiped her tears away, calming down. He blinked slowly, his mind blank. "Seras…" She sniffed and blinked remaining tears away. He felt thoughts click in his mind, thoughts finally coming into place.

"Y-yes?" He pulled her close to him and kissed her hard against the lips. He pulled back, cupping her face in his hands. He looked into her eyes, and spoke, in awe of the thought he was about to voice.

"Seras Victoria, I am in love with you."


	24. The First Time

_**Ferne's Thoughts:**_ Wow! I thank everybody for your continuing support! This is what you've all been waiting for... **SEX.** Sorry if that's considered a spoiler, but ay, ya'll want it. This chapter contains material of an explicit and sexually graphic nature and is not intended for people who don't have a basic understanding of male and female anatomy. Pretty much erotica towards the last half of the chapter. I'm warning you, it's graphic. Also, if you don't like the words I used to describe genitalia, please don't worry about it, just replace them with your preferred words of choice. I'm pretty much obsessed with the ones I use. I hope ya'll like it! One last thing- there IS humor in the graphic scenes, don't be afraid to laugh. Sex is funny, especially when you're with the right person. I believe you should be comfortable with laughing about sex with your partner. Consent and humor are important factors to create a great sexperience. ;)

 _*** I don't own Hellsing or the Hellsing Universe, and I think I've ran out of puns. Oops. ***_

* * *

Seras stared at Vlad, silent and in awe of what he just said. _I really am drunk. Am I dreaming? Did he just say-_

"I do. I know I do. I love you Seras." He pulled her close, kissing her lightly on the lips. "I've never loved a thing in my life. I couldn't fathom what I felt for you, but now I understand." Seras looked at him with wide eyes, still sniffling.

"You… You do?" He cocked his head sweetly and smiled.

"Yes." Her head was spinning.

"Do you really mean that? You love me? Like I love you?" Her words were still slurred, and she sounded like an amazed child. He nodded slowly.

"Seras, yes. Do you not believe me?" _I'm not sure. I want to, but…_

"I… I never thought you'd ever say that. Or ever love me. I love you, so much."

"I love you as well." He grinned at her. "See, doesn't that make us sound like a couple of humans?" Seras giggled and kissed him on the cheek. _He wouldn't say it if it weren't true._

"I suppose so." She stared at him for a moment and he began to speak. Seras interrupted him by placing her mouth on his. She kissed him deeply, their lips mingling.

She placed her hands on his back, digging her nails into him gently. Vlad moved his hands from her face to her waist, pulling her down to lay on the bed. They were laying on their sides, lips playing. Vlad parted his lips, allowing her entrance into his mouth. She played with his tongue, thinking of nothing but the moment. Her thoughts were rolling around, her brain a sea of words, with no one statement sticking out to her in her intoxicated state.

She savored the taste of him, the sweet flavor of his mouth. She moaned against him as their tongues teased each other. His hand rubbed her waist, sending chills over her sensitive flesh. Her nails dug in to his back harder, and he quivered, pushing himself against her before quickly pulling back. He disentangled his tongue from hers, pulling away gently. He licked his lips, humming at the taste of her.

"Seras, we still can't-"

"I know. You just taste amazing." She could hear the slurring, but she didn't care. Vlad sighed, moving hair from Seras' face.

"The sun is rising." Seras could feel herself tiring, even more so at his statement.

"Mm." She pulled the blankets over her body, in turn covering Vlad as well. Yawning, she allowed her eyes to fall closed. "I'm just going to rest for a moment, Vlady. Ok?" Vlad chuckled, the sound deep and silky. He leaned down and kissed her forehead.

"That's fine, draga mea. I'll be right here next to you." Seras hummed and smiled, curling up on herself.

Vlad pulled her close to him, sliding a leg in between hers. She responded to the action, wrapping her leg over him and grabbing on to his shirt. She rubbed his chest with her face. He felt her nip at him and rubbed her back.

Within no time, Seras had fallen asleep. She drifted into the waves of her mind, falling away from the moment, from her pain, from everything that had happened around her. She dreamt of Integra, of the time they shared together. She was happy with her, but she missed her Master. In her dream, she came to the conclusion that she would never be able to have everything.

Vlad started to fall asleep as well, his eyes getting heavier. _I love her, and I want to be with her. She loves me as well. We will be together, she shall be my queen, and we will spend eternity together. We will rule. I will rise to power once more and she shall follow. But… What if she doesn't want that? What if… No, I will continue to do what is best for_ _ **us**_ _. Why did it take me so long to realize my feelings for her? Why did it take her saying what she did tonight for me to understand?_

His head fell back, lazily, his eyes closing. _Nobody has ever showed such compassion towards me. Why did she? I don't understand why she seemed so affected by… Oh. When she drank my blood. She must have seen… Everything. Why hadn't I thought of that? It didn't even cross my mind. She saw everything I've done, everything that happened during both my life and my un-life. She saw my death. Did she see recent events? With Bathory? No. She mustn't have. She would have said something. Unless she understands…? No, that's unlike Seras. She… she would hate me. Despise me. She can never know._

He fell deeper, sleep coming over him.

* * *

Seras was awoken by a knock at the door. She blinked her sleep away and felt a shuffling beneath her. She looked to find she was on top of Vlad, completely. She pushed up, her hands on his chest, and looked into his face. He was sleeping, his face calm and peaceful. Seras smiled at the site. _He's so gorgeous. I don't want to wake him. He looks so serene._

Seras moved smoothly from his arms, making sure not to disturb his sleep. As she set foot on the carpeted floor, she felt her head pounding. She stumbled a bit, but got a grip on her footing. A knock came at the door once more and she walked to it. She opened the door to find Vincent standing outside.

"Oh, Seras. I was expecting-" She put a finger to her lips.

"He's sleeping." She came outside of the room, pushing him into the office outside it. "Vincent…" She looked into his eyes. "How are you doing?" Vincent had his hair down, letting it fall in waves to his shoulders. He ran a gloved hand through it, sighing.

"Did uh… Did he tell you?"

"Tell me what?"

"I've decided to stay with you and... _Alucard,_ to watch over you." Seras smiled.

"Vincent, you don't have to do that. And you know, his name is Vlad." Vincent smirked.

"He's Alucard to me. And I do need to. Sir Integra ordered me to… To watch over you after her death. To make sure that you stay safe." He grabbed her hand. "She really cared for you, Seras." She felt herself sadden again, a blush running over her cheeks.

"I know she did. I know _why_ she placed boundaries on us, but… I… I understand why she did everything she did, alright. I cared about her too, so much. I loved her, just… perhaps not in the same way she loved me." Seras looked to the ground and Vincent dropped her hand.

"I understand. I didn't want to upset you. I apologize." Seras chuckled.

"Vincent, you know, you don't need to be so formal anymore. We're just… friends now, no longer co-workers. You don't need to be so stuffy." Vincent chuckled as well, nodding.

"I suppose you're right. It's sort of a habit though." Seras nodded, smiling. "I came to speak to Alucard. He's sleeping?"

"Yes, we had a… long night." The taller man blinked quickly, wrinkling his nose for a moment. Seras giggled. "What did you need to speak to him about?" He was silent for a moment. "You can tell me anything. He won't mind." Vincent bit his lip and clucked his tongue after a moment.

"It's about the girl…" He flinched a bit, realizing he shouldn't have said anything.

"The girl? What girl? Vincent?" Seras furrowed her brow. Vincent shuffled before sighing.

"Catrina something or other. She was-"

"Bathory's fledgling. That doesn't make sense. She's alive? She should have died when… Wait. Bathory couldn't have turned her. They're both women. That means that somebody else did." Vincent stared at her, eyes wide.

"Your wits always amaze me. Really, how did you deduce all that? I barely spoke." Seras shook her head.

"No, no, it makes sense. I didn't think about it, but when I killed her, that Catrina girl didn't die with her. Why is she here?"

"Alucard wanted her to stay, thought she might make a good servant. I'm guessing she knows something he wants to keep in check. Just my theory though." Vincent smirked at her again, making Seras laugh.

"Alright, well, what about her?"

"She wanted to talk to him about something." Seras sighed.

"Of course. Nobody ever wants to talk to me, do they?" Vincent laughed.

"I want to talk to you. But, perhaps at another time. Preferably when you're dressed." Seras looked down at her night gown and blushed, smiling nervously.

"Oh, yes, ok. I'll tell Vlad about everything." Seras leaned up and hugged the man before turning around and going back into the room.

* * *

She found Vlad still sleeping, but now he laid on his side, holding a pillow close to his chest. Seras giggled lightly and walked towards him. She kneeled down, bringing her face close to his. He was breathing, every few seconds a light breath escaped his mouth. She kissed him on the nose, to see if he would wake up. When he didn't, she leaned in to his neck, pushing his thick hair away. In a swift movement, she bit down on him. She heard him groan, feeling him move beneath her.

She let go of him, moving to look into his face. She felt a drop of blood fall from the corner of her mouth and she allowed her tongue to catch it, winking at him. He arched an eyebrow and she spoke. "The very next night after telling me you love me, you cheat on me for some floozy? I thought you were better than that, Vlad." He furrowed his brow and Seras pointed to the pillow in his arms. He chuckled and sat up, stretching his neck and running a hand through his hair.

"What do you expect? I can't help that I'm charming." Seras laughed, the sound high and smooth.

"You certainly charmed me." She looked at Vlad from the corner of her eye to see him smiling softly. She sat next to him after looking at the clock. "It's late. We slept in." She placed a hand on his thigh, her hand rubbing him gently.

"Mhm. You were up before me. What were you doing?"

"Vincent came. He wanted to speak to you, but I wanted to let you sleep a while more." Vlad placed his hand on hers, and he felt her eyes on his scars. He stroked her small hand, reveling in the softness of her flesh.

"What did he want?"

"He said Catrina wanted to speak to you." Vlad stopped his stroking, eyes moving to meet his lover's.

"He told you about her?" He searched her eyes for any sense of anger but found none.

"No. He just mentioned her. But you, sir, did not." She poked him in the chest. "Why is that?" She smirked at him and raised an eyebrow of her own.

"I was waiting. I enjoyed spending frivolous time with you. I didn't want to ruin your mood." Seras nodded, smirk ever present.

"Who made her, if it wasn't one of Bathory's fledglings?"

"Somebody she hired to do the job. Obviously not of her lineage. The name wasn't important."

"Why are you keeping her here?"

"I believe she may be of use to us as a servant."

"Us?" He smiled.

"Us. I intend on having an estate for ourselves, with servants. Unless you'd like to live like a peasant." Seras nodded and laughed.

"Oh, I don't mind, but just because somebody doesn't have servants taking care of them, that doesn't make them _peasants._ That's also a very outdated term, you should know." Vlad looked to the clock and his eyes widened.

"It's nearly midnight."

"Mhm." He stood and walked to the large mirror attached to a dresser. He examined himself, noticing a slightly fuller, more muscular form. His skin looked less sickly, more… _alive._ He sighed and turned around, leaning on the dresser and crossing his arms. Seras walked over to him and wrapped her arms around his waist. She nuzzled his chest for a moment before looking into his face. "You look rather fetching tonight," she teased. Vlad chuckled and wrapped his arm around her.

"Why thank you, my dear Seras. You look ravishing yourself."

"My head hurts." She pushed hair out of her face. "Maybe I _shouldn't have_ fed from that man." Vlad raised his eyebrows.

"So you admit that I was right?" He pulled her tighter against himself. "You admit that you should listen to me and do as I say, even if I'm no longer your Master? Is that what you're saying?" Seras wrinkled her nose.

"I haven't got the faintest idea how you came to that conclusion. All I said was that I could've made a better choice than I did." She looked away from him. "You're not right at all." He laughed at her indignant display.

"Oh no, of course not."

"You should probably go talk to your little girlfriend. Don't want her getting impatient, now do you?"

"Are you… Jealous? Of that little girl?"

"Well, I haven't exactly met her. Or seen her. Or spoken to her. I'm not jealous though." She paused. "Maybe a bit."

"Well then why don't you come with me?" She looked up at him.

"You really want me to come with you?" He nodded. "Don't you think I'll be annoying?"

"How would you annoy me?" She shrugged. "Seras, your presence has never actually bothered me. Why would you think it has? Have I ever acted in such a way to have you believe that?"

"I suppose not."

"Then get dressed. I'll be here when you are." He let go of her and she spun around in a circle, bringing her hands to rest under her face and smiling.

"What, you mean I don't look good in this?" He smirked and licked his lips, his eyes roaming over her form.

"Oh, you look amazing. But I'd rather not have you giving her a show meant only for me." Seras grinned and giggled lightly. She waved to him as she phased through the floor. Vlad sighed contently, looking around the room for a moment before phasing to his room as well.

* * *

When Seras landed in her room, she found Pip curled up in her bed, his hair unbraided and laying around him like a ginger halo. She smiled and tip-toed to him. She sat on the bed for a moment, tapping his nose lightly. He moved his face sleepily, wrinkling his nose with each tap. He finally opened his eye when Seras pushed his nose up and made quiet pig noises by his face. He pulled his head back in alarm, eye widening as he muttered curses in French. Seras giggled and stood.

"Good morning, Captain Bernadotte."

"What time is it?"

"Oh, just after midnight. How was your sleep?" He glared at her.

"It would have been amazing if you hadn't interrupted me." Seras fought to hold back her laughter.

"Ooh, Pip, you sure are cranky tonight, aren't you?!" He pulled the blanket over his head, curling up under the covers.

"Go away please." His voice was muffled beneath the thick blankets. Seras fell to her knees by his head, placing an arm around what she figured was his shoulder. He peeked his head out. "Quoi?" She kissed his forehead.

"Do you want to stay in bed, or come back inside here?" She tapped her head. He thought for a moment before touching her on the same place she had been tapping herself. She smiled and he disappeared, returning to his place in her mind.

She sighed, standing up and moving to her closet. Seras stared at her Hellsing uniforms for several seconds before pushing them all into a tight corner of the closet. She pulled out a pair of dark, high-waisted denim and a plum, thick tank top. After pulling it all on, she grabbed a pair of socks and her trusty combat boots. She turned and stared at herself in the vanity mirror. She wasn't used to seeing her arm and realized how _normal_ she looked.

 _I could pass for human if I wanted to. I don't even have to wear a jacket all the time. I wonder if I'll get used to it? Probably, with time._ She stared at the faint scars on her neck, the remnants of the bite her lover first gave her. The last thing she felt as a human. All in all, dying wasn't too bad for her. It was peaceful, calming. She felt as though she were floating, the pinch of his fangs breaking her skin being the last thing she paid attention to. She remembered how she held on to his sleeves, the way he smiled at her, _his attempt at comforting me._ The way his eyes looked at her softly, the light kiss she was sure, even to this day, that he placed on her lips after he licked the blood from her face.

She stroked the scars. "I wonder, do all bites look the same? Or are they all special, depending on the vampire?" There was still so much she needed to learn about her kind. _Vlad will tell me. He'll teach me everything._ She smiled and went to the bathroom to wash her face.

* * *

As the cold water splashed on her flesh, she suddenly felt awake. With her complete awareness, she recollected just exactly what happened the previous night. She remembered immediately when she awoke and spoke to Vincent that Vlad had declared his love for her. But she couldn't remember much else at that point. Now, she did, and she paled. "Oh my god. I practically raped him! I'm horrible. I'm just lucky he didn't feel the need to hit me or something. What was I thinking?" Her eyes widened. "WHAT DID I SAY? Did I tell him to… to fuck me? What the hell?! Cor, I'm such a slut. That's so embarrassing. I bet he remembers everything, Jesus Christ." She stomped her foot, wanting to kick herself. "I was like a bratty child. I'm never getting drunk around him again." She smiled after a moment. "He liked it though."

* * *

Vlad finished getting dressed and listened to the shrill yells coming from Seras' room. He chuckled, catching phrases like 'I'm such a slut' and 'I'm never getting drunk around him again.' He walked out of his room, traveling the distance to his lover's own. As he raised his hand, the door suddenly opened. Seras jumped after noticing him.

"I thought you would be upstairs."

"I came down to get dressed." She nodded.

"You look the same." He cocked his head, a sly grin filling his features.

"Unlike you, _Police Girl,_ I don't require nearly half as many different kinds of clothing."

"You mean, you're too lazy to make different outfits everyday?" He shrugged.

"I like what I like." She gave a seductive pout and rubbed his chest, moving closer to him.

"What about me? Do you like me?" Vlad twitched a bit, his eyes narrowing in lust.

"Seras, you truly _are_ frustrated, aren't you?" He smirked at her and she growled in anger, pushing past him and walking down the hall. "Now, don't get mad at me for speaking the truth!" He chuckled as she flipped her hair over her shoulder.

"You're a bastard." He came to her side, draping an arm around her. She tried to push him off but his hold tightened.

"You don't even know where she is, where were you expecting to go?"

"I was actually planning on taking a journey straight into hell, but I figure that's where you belong more than me." He laughed, the sound filling the hall.

"You're so petty sometimes."

"That's rich coming from you." He looked down at her as they walked.

"Oh?"

"You've got to be one of the most petty people I know." He grinned.

"Would you mind explaining this to me?" Seras turned to look up at him, a grin stretching over her features at the sight of his own.

"I think I'll just leave you guessing." He scoffed.

"See? Petty."

* * *

Seras followed as Vlad led them through several halls on the upper level of the manor before stopping in front of a bedroom door. He moved to open the door, but Seras slapped his hand away from the handle. He glared at her. "You can't just barge in to someone's room!"

"Why not?" he hissed at her. She hissed her words back at him.

"Because it's **rude.** " The door opened as Vlad was getting ready to argue with Seras, making them both turn to a young brunette girl. Seras had to look up slightly to see into her eyes, and once she did, the girl looked back. Her eyes filled with anger at the sight of Seras.

"What's rude, _little girl,_ is killing the one person I had on my side. Don't try to act righteous and kind after that." The girl leaned in to Seras, her face inches from the elder vampire's. " _I know what you are, Seras Victoria. You are a monster._ " Seras' eyes widened and she looked between her lover and the girl, her brain numb for a moment at the sudden hostility directed towards her by the young girl. Vlad moved slightly, ready to punish the girl. Seras pushed him back, closing the gap between her and the brunette.

"Catrina, right?" The girl smirked and nodded, flames in her eyes. "Your friend did the very thing of what you speak of to me. She stole Integra from _me_. You think you hurt? I knew and loved that woman for thirty years. Thirty fucking years. But do you want to know something? I hold no grudge towards you, even though you were a part of the killing. My grudge was for Bathory, and I have that no more. I got my vengeance. A life for a life, blood answers blood. My feud with you is non-existent; unless you want to make one. Catrina, if you want to join her so badly, I can make that happen." The girl's eyes widened and anger all but drained from them. "So are we good?" Catrina nodded and looked to Vlad.

"It seems she takes after you and your cruelty, _King._ " The Count smiled and nodded, his eyes traveling over Seras.

"It seems she does." He brought his eyes back to Catrina. "You wished to speak with me?"

"Not with her here." Seras glared at the girl. Vlad stared at Catrina for a moment before nodding.

"Seras, go amuse yourself somehow." The Draculina gasped and turned to him.

"So I got dressed for nothing then?"

"We'll go out and do something after I'm finished here." She pulled his sleeve and his gaze dropped to her.

"I thought you said I could come with you though," her voice was a light whine as she pouted. _Does she honestly think this would work on me? Me? This little begging act?_ She batted her lashes at him. _Well…_ He looked away before he fell into her trap.

"I know I did, but I don't think you need to hear anything she wants to speak to me about." Seras stood still. He leaned down, brushing his lips against hers and cupping her face with his hands. He spoke, his mouth against hers. " _Please, draga mea. Do as I say."_ She pushed her lips hard against his. Seras pulled back after a moment, sighing and turning away from him.

"Oh, fine. But only because your lips are soft." She walked down the hall, leaving Vlad and Catrina by themselves.

"Come on in then."

* * *

"So, what, you planned on Elizabeth dying? You backstabbing prick!" Vlad sat in a chair by one of the windows in her room, legs crossed and hands folded in his lap. Catrina stood, yelling obscenities at him.

"Now Catrina. This is no way to address your King, is it? I'm afraid that if you continue, you'll have to be punished." She stopped cursing and stared at him to find that he most certainly was not amused. She breathed heavily, sighing as she sat back down on the edge of her bed.

"Well, what was it? Did you plan on Seras killing her the whole time, or did you want to?" He lifted up a hand, examining his long nails.

"I never expected Seras to attack Elizabeth the way she did. I most certainly did not expect her to drink my blood and _kill_ her. I wanted to be the one to send her to hell, but we don't always get what we want, now do we?"

"So you just conveniently forgot to mention to Elizabeth that you wanted her dead?"

"Well, it wouldn't have been very smart of me to say, 'Hello Elizabeth, how about you kill Integra Hellsing, and in return, I'll end your life as well.' I knew that she would be the key to my freedom, and I used her. I don't see a problem with that. She was a wretched person. In both life and death." Catrina sucked her teeth.

"And what do you think you are?" He looked up to her, eyes narrowing.

"I never claimed to be anything other than a monster. Unlike Elizabeth, who tried to pass herself off as a kind woman. She was nothing but a pathetic bitch, obsessed with power. She tried her whole life to gain my power, to obtain more power. If I let her live after having her kill my Master, she would have asked for something in return. I couldn't have that, now could I? My power is reserved for Seras and myself, nobody else."

"Oh, how generous of you, sharing with your girlfriend. You know," she put a finger to her lip, "I wonder what she would do if she found out all about your little coup?" Vlad's eyes widened and he snarled.

"She won't. And if you so much as think about telling her anything, I will destroy you."

"What do you think she would do though? Would she leave you? Attack you? _Kill herself?_ " He stood, dashing over to her and lifting her up by the neck. His grip tightened every second and he felt bones snapping. He brought his teeth close to her face, growling.

"Watch yourself little girl. Insubordination is not tolerated. Especially," he shook her, "from pathetic peasants like you. How dare you speak to me the way you have? I have given you leniency so far, but the mercy I have shown you will not last much longer. You will show both Seras and I your utmost respect, or you will face the consequences." She choked and wriggled in his grasp, causing him to shake her harder. "Do you understand?" She nodded vigorously and he released her. "Good." She fell to the floor, gasping for air. Vlad chuckled and placed a booted foot on her back, pinning her to the ground. "Is that all you wanted to speak about?" She shook her head and he lifted his foot from her body. "Well get on with it then, girl. I don't have all night."

Catrina lifted her body from the ground, sitting against the bed frame. "What are we waiting for? Why are we still here?" He hummed, tapping the windowsill. He looked out through the glass, out to the woods behind the manor.

"Seras wants to be present for the funeral. After that, her and I will speak of where we shall go next."

"Where do you think that will be?"

"I still have a castle in my homeland, if the servants I put in charge of it did their job correctly."

"If they didn't?"

"If they didn't, then it should be nothing more than rubble and ruin. Even so, I must return to see."

"And you think Seras will want to-"

"She is your _Queen._ You will address her as such." Catrina's face took on a contemptuous look and she spit out her words.

"And you think Queen Seras will want to follow you there?" He nodded.

"She's told me that she would like to travel. To see the world. I will take her, and her first sight to see will be Romania. It really all depends on if my home is there where we stay, of course." He looked to her. "Oh, you'll be coming as well."

"Me?"

"Well, I didn't make you our first new servant for nothing. You will come, and if my estate is still intact and there are other servants there, you will be taught by them how to properly serve."

"Properly serve?" Her eyes narrowed.

"My servants are raised very specifically to serve me. They're bred for it."

"That's despicable."

"That's hierarchy." She scoffed.

"You think you're entitled to everything, don't you?" He grinned at her, moving towards her and leaning down. He grabbed her face, making her look at him.

"What people don't give me, I take. It's the pecking order, my dear. I am at the top, you are at the bottom. I am entitled because you are not."

"You're evil."

"I am. But that's just the way the world works, I'm afraid. I get, and you give. You were born nothing, you lived as nothing, and you died as nothing. You deserve nothing. But I am giving you a home, access to food, freedom from persecution as long as you do your job correctly. I may be evil, but I can be fair. Do you agree to those terms?" She looked away from him.

"Yes." He released her, standing and moving to the door.

"Good. Now, if you need to see me again, come directly. Don't send Vincent." She nodded and he left.

Catrina stared at the window for a moment before laying on the floor. She broke into heavy sobs, tears staining her clothing and the carpet. She wailed, asking the universe why she was in this position. She fell asleep among her sobs.

* * *

Seras laid on the grass outside the manor, eyes fixed on the sky as she watched stars shift and meteors fly by. She could feel the chill but it didn't bother her. She was so focused on the night sky that she didn't hear the footsteps come near her until a voice spoke to her.

"Beautiful night, isn't it?" She didn't have to look to know it was Vlad.

"It always seems to be beautiful here." He laid down next to her, head leaning against hers.

"You're right." She looked to him.

"Of course I am." He smiled.

"Do you still feel like going somewhere?" Seras nodded. "Like where?"

"I want to go somewhere pretty. And somewhere that we can get food." He raised his eyebrows, smirking.

"You still want to feed? After last night?"

"A little bit. I know that you could use some more."

"Was that an insult?"

"Honestly, I'm starting to think that they were starving you."

"Of course they were. If they didn't I would have still been able to disobey all of their inane orders." She looked away.

"That's cruel." He chuckled.

"Seras, you feel too much."

"You just don't feel enough." He stared at her for a moment.

"Perhaps you're right. But I feel for you. What else do I need to feel for?" Seras felt her cheeks sting with the sudden heat that flushed over them. "Now, where shall we go? Hmm… How about Cranleigh?"

"That's over an hour from here."

"If you're a human in an automobile, perhaps. I'll race you there. We can see just how fast we can get there." Seras looked to him and smiled.

"Let's go, loser."

* * *

Seras was sure she was going to beat Vlad as the wind whipped over her body. She reveled in the feel of it all night, in the feel of true freedom. She was held to nothing in that moment, nothing but the night. As they came closer and closer to the village, Seras breathed in the delicious air, the scent of rain just on the horizon. As she stepped over the boundary line of the village, she felt her body be pulled down to the ground.

She fell on top of a body with a heavy grunt as the air was knocked from her lungs. She heard chuckling underneath her and raised her head to see Vlad laughing, his eyes closed. He stopped chuckling as he spoke. "Even with my blood running through your veins, you're still incredibly slow." She glared at him.

"What, so you were being deliberately slow? For me?" He nodded.

"I had to give you the false illusion of victory. It always works." He winked at her.

"You're mean. Let me go."

"No, I don't think I'll do that." She wriggled as he gripped her tightly against his chest.

"Vlad! Stop, somebody might see us!"

"Oh, and do what? Arrest us? Seras, you need to stop worrying about human problems. They don't affect you." Seras continued to wriggle against him and felt something harden against her thigh. _What's tha- oh. Oh… Oh!_

"Let me go! I'll scream, Vlad, I swear I will!" He whispered against her thrashing.

"I'd love to make you scream." She stopped moving, her arousal peaked by his words.

"What was that?" she whispered back to him. He smirked.

"Nothing." He let her go and she crawled off him. He stood up and brushed blades of grass from his dark clothing. Seras didn't bother brushing them off, instead choosing to straighten herself out as she stood and walked next to the elder vampire.

"It's so late. Nobody is going to be awake at this hour."

"That makes it all the easier."

"You're going to sneak into a house and eat the people in it?" He nodded. "Won't they wake up?"

"They won't feel a thing… Unless I want them to." He grinned as he looked out to the village. Seras shrugged as Vlad started walking, eyes flitting to every home they passed. She could smell all the blood, hear all the slow heartbeats of the humans inside the homes. She felt her fangs elongate slightly at the thought of drinking blood from them, the scent of O- filling her senses. She was practically humming from anticipation when Vlad stopped in front of a large house. Seras detected four separate heart beats and turned to him.

"There's four people in there."

"Mm."

"Are you going to kill all of them?" He looked to her.

"Unless you want to. I'm going to drink their blood, all of it."

"What if I want some?"

"If you want some, you're just going to have to beg." He smirked at her as he phased into the home. Within seconds, she could smell blood being spilt. She phased into the house as well, following the smell to a large bedroom on the second floor. Vlad was chewing on a man's throat as he held onto a woman's face, crushing her head. He was leaned over a bed as he ate.

Seras walked towards him and he held out the woman in his hand, bringing her body close to Seras in offering. He brought his mouth from the man for a moment, turning to Seras. "You don't even have to beg for this one." He gave her a playful smile, his face covered in blood. She shook her head, uninterested in the offer. He cocked his own before chuckling and bringing the woman towards him. "More for me, then." He brought his teeth into the woman's flesh, her muffled screams becoming gurgling chokes as he dug his hand deep inside her torso, his mouth working at her neck. Blood poured over the bed as he ripped intestines from her body, his shadows filling the room and swirling about as he fed. If Seras hadn't seen him feed like this many times before, she might have been frightened.

 _There's no reason to be frightened of something that won't hurt you._ She watched on, noticing her arousal rising from her stomach to her chest, her breath quickening. _I understand why people insist that he's a monster. But I don't understand why this turns me on so much. This is so sexy. He's so sexy. And I'm so bloody twisted! I shouldn't be taking pleasure in this, but… God, what I wouldn't give to have his teeth biting into_ _ **me**_ _._ Vlad pulled his head from the woman's body, dropping her to the bed with a quiet splash of blood.

"Seras…" His voice was a low growl, sending shivers down her spine.

"Yes?"

"You smell… _intoxicating._ " He turned to her, a fire glowing in his eyes. She twitched, understanding what he was speaking about. He stood, walking over to her slowly. As he walked, Seras noticed the bulge in his trousers, quickly averting her eyes.

"Thank you, I suppose." He reached her and brought his hand out, fingers stroking her face, moving down her neck and falling to her waist. He dug his nails into her flesh, bringing his face down to her throat. She could feel the warm stickiness of the blood rubbing against her sensitive neck. He spoke against her, rubbing himself against her every so often.

"Tell me; what were you thinking of? What thoughts could be going through your head to make you so… _excited_?" She whimpered as he licked at her neck. He nipped at her ear in response to her silence. "Answer me."

"I wasn't really thinking about anything."

"Is that so?" He suckled on her neck.

"Mmm… Yes. Yeah, that's right."

"I think you're lying to me." He slid his teeth down her flesh, cutting her. "I don't like liars, Seras."

"I was just watching you and thinking about you. When you're so… so violent and cruel, it… it turns me on. I can't help it." He paused, stopping his licking. He whispered into her ear.

"You like it when I torture people? When I kill them? When I rip them apart?" She nodded slowly, unsure what his reaction would be. She felt his breathing quicken and he looked up to her, eyes wide. They narrowed as they met hers. "It gives you satisfaction to see me eviscerate defenseless humans? Pathetic, weak enemies? That arouses you?"

"Yes." She felt his hardness pulsate against her. He leaned in close to her face, their noses brushing.

"Would you like to see more?" She remembered the other two heartbeats in the home. She nodded slowly and licked at his face, tasting the still-warm blood. He shuddered against her, a moan escaping his lips. "Then come along, little one. I'm still hungry." She held onto him as he walked into a room down the hall, where a heartbeat was coming from. Seras let go of him as he went to the bed and pulled a human up and out of it by the neck.

Seras noticed that it was a teenager, maybe a little younger than her. He was tall, and Vlad pinned him against a wall as he struggled, trying to breathe. The vampire slammed him into the wall once, making him stop.

"Do you live here with your family?" The boy nodded. Vlad grinned. "Well, your parents? They're little more than a pile of blood and guts right now. But don't fret; you'll be joining them soon enough. But not before I've had a little fun."

Vlad ripped into the boy, his hand slicing up through his bare torso, innards pouring out over the floor. The vampire bit into the boy, tearing flesh from his neck, allowing blood to spurt out from the wound. He dug his hand into the boy's exposed core, bringing out a fistful of intestines. He brought the gore to his face, pushing it into his mouth. Seras shuddered at his animosity, whimpering in need. She was tempted to thrust her hand into her pants and pleasure herself, but decided against the act. _That's a bit too twisted. I can wait. Anticipation is half the fun, isn't it?_

The boy tried to scream, cry for help, but all that came out were silent tears. Vlad stood, having had his fill of the boy and his blood, and looked at Seras. Her face was that of need, like a thirsty man in a desert. He smiled, walking over to her. He held his hand up to her mouth, blood dripping from it in thick, slow droplets. He watched her lip quiver and rubbed a finger over it. "Taste." She did, her tongue sliding up and down every finger. She grabbed his wrist to have more control and suckled on the fingers. She heard him purr in satisfaction, a small moan escaping his lips at her action. Once Seras had licked up all the blood, she reached her hand to his head, releasing her hold on his hand. She pulled his head down, eyes locked on his.

She reached up and licked at his face, more blood running sweetly onto her tongue. He hummed and placed a hand on her waist. She licked over his mouth before lowering back down and releasing his head. "Oh, don't stop at that, Seras. Please." His voice was filled with need, nearly a beg.

"There's still one other person, unless you want to leave them alive." She thought for a moment. "I think it would be a mercy to kill them though. I wouldn't want to face this mess. You should make it quick."

"That's no fun." She chuckled at his bloodstained pout.

"Oh please. Be merciful for once in your life." He narrowed his eyes and sighed after a moment, moving past her. "I'll be outside." He stopped walking for a second and nodded before walking on.

* * *

Seras sat on the steps outside the house, listening to the sound of blood being drained, the soft suckling. She sighed and placed her head in her hands. _I can't believe this happened. I all but caused that boy's death, the horrible way he died. Why am I so… kinky?!_ She heard a snickering in her mind and realized with a start that Pip was listening. _You bloody bastard._

" _ **Kinky? You? Huh, I wish. I know your fantasies, Seras. They're far from kinky."**_

" _What would you know about my fantasies, Pip?"_

" _ **I know enough to know that you're about as boring as it gets."**_

" _How would you know anything?"_

" _ **I'm French."**_ Seras laughed out loud, nodding her head and speaking to the open air.

"Alright then, Captain. You know all about my sex life, don't you?"

" _ **What sex life?"**_ She laughed again.

"That's just mean." The door behind her opened and closed, making her turn. She saw Vlad, clean of blood. Even his white undershirt didn't have a stain in sight. "Hello." He nodded and moved past her, walking onto the street. Seras furrowed her brow and watched as he moved along slowly. He stopped several meters in front of her, his back turned.

"Are you coming?" She stood and jogged over to him. He continued walking.

"What's wrong with you?" He looked at her.

"I'm still hungry." Seras laughed, the sound a melodic chirping.

"Vlad, I don't think you'll ever be _not_ hungry, will you?"

"No, I don't think so either." He grabbed her hand, their fingers entangling. "I'm always hungry for you, at least, if that's any sign."

"Please, don't ever say that again." She blushed and cleared her throat. He chuckled and leaned down to speak into her ear.

"I want to eat you, Seras. I want to taste you. _Every single inch of you._ " Seras pulled away from him and chuckled awkwardly.

"Um, let's go home. The sun is rising." Vlad looked up to see light rays coming over the horizon, their surroundings brightening.

"So?" She glared at him.

" **The sun.** Burning, painful, agonizing death. Ring a bell?" He cocked his head.

"The sun isn't my weakness. I just dislike it."

"Well then what about me?"

"You drank my blood. It won't kill you. It may sting a bit, but that's it. Seras, you really are an idiot sometimes." He grinned at her as he teased her and she stared at him blankly.

"You're being serious?" He nodded. "So… I can go out into the sun?"

"Well… Hypothetically you can. But not for any extended amount of time. A few hours at most."

"If you can go outside during the day, why do you not?"

"I told you. I dislike daylight." She smirked.

"Do you really want to walk in it, then?" She watched as he thought for a moment, furrowing his brow and looking defeated.

"No. Let's go."

* * *

Seras ran into the Manor, ready to sleep. As she ran up the stairs, she ran into something soft and fell on her back, her head hitting a stair. She groaned as she looked around, trying to find what she ran into. As she sat up, she saw Catrina sitting on a few stairs herself. "Well hello." Seras rubbed her head as she stood, offering a hand to the girl. Catrina pushed Seras' hand away, standing.

"Watch were you're going, dumb bitch!"

"What was that?" Seras turned to see Vlad leaning against the wall next to her, his arms crossed as he looked at Catrina. _He seems angry. I wonder why?_ Catrina paled before clearing her throat and looking away, walking as she spoke.

"I'm sorry, it was my fault. Sorry." Seras looked on confused as Catrina shuffled away.

"What was that about?" Vlad shrugged and walked up the stairs. Seras went to his side and poked his shoulder. "You've been really quiet all the way home." His eyes flashed to her before moving back in front of him. She huffed and phased into the bedroom, leaving him on the stairs.

* * *

She laid on the bed, blinking at the ceiling as Vlad came in. She could feel him watching her and turned. "Yes?"

"I love you." She sat up, surprised by the sudden comment.

"I love you too." He moved and sat next to her, wrapping an arm around her and placing his other hand on her thigh. With his hand on her thigh, he gently squeezed and rubbed. He leaned in close to her and whispered in her ear.

"What do you want, Seras?" His hand moved farther up her thigh, and Seras was all but frozen in place at the sudden change in his mood.

"What do I want?"

"Mm…" He breathed in her scent and moved to kiss her cheek.

"I…" She moved her head to kiss his lips. He pushed into her lips gently, each kiss filled with tender devotion. They kissed slowly and passionately as they fell back on the bed, Vlad on top of her.

She spread her legs, giving him better access to lay over her comfortably. They kissed and kissed, tongues and saliva mixing and mingling. She bit down lightly on his lip, tasting the sweet nectar of his blood dropping onto her tongue. She moaned lightly at the taste, her hands reach up. One hand wrapped around his neck, while the other clawed at his back gently. She felt him purr against her, his whole body vibrating. Her legs widened further, her hips starting to move of their own accord. She pulled from their kiss to start kissing his face, his cheeks, his jaw, his neck. She could feel his manhood pushing against her, her sex craving the hardness resting on it. She whimpered as she grinded against him.

Vlad could feel his arousal peaking as Seras kissed and grinded into him. Her wetness had soaked through her pants and was soaking through his own. He moaned as Seras nipped at his throat, claws digging into his back. He started to push against her in small thrusts, his breath hitching as he rubbed into her. Seras lapped gently at his throat, licking up the drops of blood. He felt her move her hands to his chest, pushing him up. He looked into her face, her eyes filled with lust and need. _No doubt mine look the same. I want her so badly. I need her. I need to give her pleasure, to touch her, to have her._ "Yes?" She blinked at him, her golden hair framing her face as she laid under him.

 _I'm going to do this. I need him. Today. I want to give him everything._ "You should take your clothes off." He looked at her for a moment before smiling and biting his lip. He narrowed his eyes slightly as he raised himself off of her, standing as he unbuttoned his vest, then moving on to his dress shirt. Seras sat up and started to take her top off, but Vlad called out to her.

"Don't." She looked to him. "I want to take them off of you." She blushed and bit her own lip as she watched him undress. As he slid the white shirt from himself, her eyes roamed the expanse of his chest. He was gorgeous, his form sculpted but not overly-so. He didn't have washboard abs, but his stomach was flat and toned and _I really want to touch him._ He had several pale scars on the flesh she could see, but she thought they added to his beauty. He looked healthier than she'd ever seen him, his body thicker and more muscular. He had dark hair speckling his chest, adding to his masculine form. Her eyes were fixated on his toned body until he moved to unbutton his trousers. She felt herself start to blush and heard him chuckle. She looked up, her eyes lingering on his chest a while longer before meeting his eyes.

"You're such a prude." She glared at him before smiling playfully.

"Yes. That is pretty much the reason that I am a vampire. _Virgin._ You know?" He laughed, throwing his head back and Seras stared at the way his muscles moved beneath his flesh. "If I wasn't such a prude, I would have died when you shot me, and I never would have fallen in love with you." He looked at her and grinned.

"Well, I would have just killed the vampire another way, without injuring you. I knew you were a virgin." He leaned down to her. "I could smell it."

"You mean, you wouldn't be interested in me if I were still human?"

"Well, it's not that, per se. I wouldn't have been able to have any sort of relationship with you. You probably would have been too afraid of me to say anything, anyway." He grinned. "If I never turned you, I suppose I wouldn't have bothered coming back after Millennium." Seras nodded, smiling at his words. She decided to stand and move close to him. She rested her hand on his chest, letting her fingers caress his flesh as they fell to the waistband of his trousers, running over his fingers that laid on the button.

"How sweet." She looked into his eyes and licked her lips, pressing her chest against his own. "Vlad…" His breath slowed and he cocked his head slowly.

"Hm?"

"It's getting uncomfortable wearing clothes." He growled lustfully and licked his teeth, grinning at her. He pushed her down to the bed gently and placed a leg between hers, leaning on the bed.

"Just a moment." He unbuttoned his trousers, and Seras looked away, followed by a light chuckling. She felt a hand on her face as he brought it to look to him once more. "Don't look away." He rubbed her lip with his thumb, his long nail tickling it. She smiled shyly and watched as he unzipped his trousers.

The unzipping seemed to take ages and Seras was getting ready to snap and just do it herself, innocence aside. _I'm not that innocent. I've touched myself, I've seen naked men. I've even experimented with girls since I've been a vampire. But I've never actually had sex. Will it hurt? As a vampire? Oh god, I hope he's not into that kinky stuff. We're going to have sex. I'm going to have sex. With_ _ **him.**_ _With Dracula. With the Vampire King. The most powerful Nosferatu. My god. He's even in love with me. I'm going to lose my virginity to the man I love. After 49 years of being a virgin, 30 years being a vampiric virgin, I'm finally going to lose it. What if I hate it? What if he has a small-_ _ **nevermind.**_

He pulled his trousers off, his dark boxer-briefs stretched tight against his length. He removed his leg from between hers and stood again, kicking off his boots and sliding his trousers off. Seras stared, mouth open at seeing this man, this monster showing himself to her. She looked up and down his body, taking in the image of his body, his hair long and messy over his shoulders, framing his face. His face almost looked nervous. _Emberassed might be a stretch, but it's close to that. It's cute._ Her eyes roamed his form, stopping and staring at his crotch, taking in the large bulge. _Well, honestly, the thought of anything going into me would make it look big._ She felt herself vibrating, her sex throbbing and begging for him. She whimpered and licked her dry lips, her eyes flitting to his eyes as he smiled at her.

"Well?" Her eyes roamed his body once more as she spoke, her voice light and breathy.

"You're gorgeous." Her chest ached, her stomach fluttering with longing and want. He cocked his head and his smile stretched into a grin.

"I know, thank you." She rolled her eyes and laughed.

"Gorgeous _and_ modest. Quite the package you are, great Vampire King." He laughed back, leaning down and running a finger from her lips down between her breasts, resting it on her belly button. She shuddered at the touch, her head rolling back, a sigh escaping her mouth.

"What do you want me to take off first, darling?" She fingered the waistband of her pants, falling right below her belly button. She couldn't find the voice to say it, so she just touched the fabric of them. He hummed and started to work at the buttons, popping them out of their holes excruciatingly slowly. Seras wriggled beneath him.

"Please, hurry up." Her breath was a whine, nearing a growl. He chuckled.

"I'm almost done. Don't worry." He popped the last button out and unzipped them. With them unzipped, he brushed her mound through her knickers, adding to her intense arousal. "God damn, Seras. You smell delicious. I can't wait to have a taste of you." She whined and rocked her hips against his light, teasing touches. He leaned down and placed a light kiss on the flesh of the stomach that was exposed. He growled against her skin. "I can't wait to have you. To feel you. Seras, I want to give you the greatest pleasure you've ever experienced." He heard her shaky panting and nipped at her flesh. A quiet 'oh' escaped her lips. He ran his tongue across her hot skin, relishing the shudders and noises she made in response to his slow teasing.

He sat up between her legs and placed a hand on either side of her pants. He pulled them down slowly, taking in the view of her waist, of her thighs. Of her sex, moist with arousal, the very arousal overwhelming his senses, making his own throb with need and anticipation. _I want to taste her so badly._ He licked his lips, the clothing slipping off her feet. _When did she take off her boots? How did I miss that?_ With them off, he threw them to the floor. He raised a leg, kissing up the expanse of it slowly.

His kisses were hot and every movement made her more and more restless. She balled up the soft blankets in her fists and her chest tight and aching. Anticipation pulsated through her entire being, her body on fire. He was getting dangerously close to her most sensitive, aching area, and Seras was both scared and excited. Every nerve in her body was calling out for him to take her, to touch her, to make love to her, but her mind was still on the fence about it. She knew of her desires, of her wants and needs, but she was still nervous about losing her virginity.

She felt the hands on her leg grip her flesh sensually, the pressure _delicious._ She sucked in air quickly between her teeth as he kissed and licked her thigh. With his other hand, he rubbed next to her sex with his thumb, her arousal making the skin slick and wet. He brought the thumb to his mouth and sucked on it, tasting her sweet wetness. He moaned lightly at the taste and looked up to see that she was laying back with her eyes closed. Her back arched and he moved up to lay on top of her. She opened her eyes.

"You're stopping?" He smiled.

"I want to take your top off, but you seemed to be asleep. So, I came up here to wake you." She chuckled at the humor in his tone.

"Well then, take it off." He scooped her up in his arms and sat her up, holding her against his chest. "Mm… But first, kiss me." He obliged and leaned his face down, their lips meeting. Her lips were hot and she kissed him hungrily. He met her pace, fingers sliding under her top and feeling her soft flesh. He held her by her waist, fingers rubbing into her curves. He pulled her harder against himself, a fire burning dangerously hot stomach, his desire pooling. He moaned against her lips as she placed her hands on his belly, nails scratched him softly. She placed her hands on his hips, fingers playing with the fabric of his underwear. He pulled away from their kiss and breathed in deeply.

She blushed as she looked up at him, fingers still toying with his briefs. He looked into her eyes as he moved his hands to grip her tank top. He moved it, pulling it up slowly, his eyes flittering between hers and the shirt, in case she had second thoughts. He stopped right beneath her breasts and looked up at her, eyes narrowing slightly and eyebrows raising. She smiled and raised her arms, allowing him to pull it over her head. He dropped it next to their bodies and stared at her chest.

Her breasts were held by a plain black bra, matching her black knickers. With every breath, her chest moved, causing a beautiful movement throughout her breasts. He breathed in, hissing at the view. "They look even bigger without a shirt." She gasped and smacked his arm lightly.

"Don't talk about them like that, you pervert! They're sensitive." She looked away for a moment before giggling and looking back to him, blushing and smiling. "Well, they are." He laughed lightly, smiling back at her.

"I hope so." He leaned down and kissed her forehead before picking her up and moving her to lay in the bed properly. He laid in between her legs, pushing his hardness into her aching sex. She gasped and smiled shyly. "You're beautiful, Seras." She blushed, pink coming over her pale cheeks.

"Thanks." He started rubbing his manhood into her in long, slow thrusts. She breathed in, enjoying the pleasure. He closed his eyes as he felt her chest rub against his, the silky fabric of her bra smooth against his skin. He moved down to nibble at her throat, then her collarbones, then the tops of her large breasts. He licked between them, running his long tongue up to her quivering lips. He kissed her on the corner of them, then her cheek. He rested his own cheek against hers as he thrusted slowly.

He felt her twitch and shake beneath him, her hips rolling and moving with his every move. Her arousal covered him, from where they were joined. He placed his hands on her waist, fingers digging into her as he grinded into her. She whimpered and began moving against him more rapidly, more hungrily. He quickened his pace for her, sensing her climax coming closer. From his mouth fell quiet animalistic grunts as she dug nails into him. She pulled him down on her hard as she came, thrusting her teeth down into his flesh. She bit him hard and he moaned, his pace not stopping, even as she quaked and quivered beneath him. She moaned thickly against his shoulder, her teeth still locked in his flesh.

Seras' whole body was tremoring as ecstasy came over her. Her head was going fuzzy and everything went black as he continued grinding against her, continuing her orgasm. She whined and whimpered, mentally begging him to stop. The pleasure was taking over her and her whole body fell, her sex becoming increasingly sensitive. With each stroke he gave against her, she shuddered and let go, allowing the sensation to pound through her. Though her womanhood was jumping and now much too sensitive to touch, he continued. The sharp, hot nails of pleasure pound their way through her loins, through her senses until he finally gave mercy and stopped.

He watched her chest heave with each deep, quick breath, desperately wanting to bit into her. He let her come down though, and her eyes opened slowly, lips still quivering even as she spoke.

"That was… intense." He chuckled at her face as she blinked, trying to recover.

"I can give you much more than that. If you're ready." She stared at him for a moment before smiling. She nodded. _Oh, I am so ready._ "May I remove these then?" He motioned to the remaining undergarments.

"Oh, um, yes." She moved to sit up and take off her bra, but he stopped her once again.

"I think I can manage that." He reached to her chest, his fingers brushing against her breasts before he put his hands on them. He gently kneaded them, his hands just barely big enough to hold them. He squeezed her lightly and she gasped. She turned her head as she breathed heavily. She felt his mouth on her neck, kissing her roughly. "Oh, Seras, I need you…" he growled against her. He leaned back up and exhaled. His gaze remained on her chest as he unhooked the clasp in the front of her bra.

As her breasts fell out, he pulled the black bra from her body and tossed it to the side. He moaned at the sight of her creamy, supple breasts. He held them in his hands, the soft pillowy breasts heavy in his palms. Her nipples were hard and erect, poking into his hand. The flesh was soft and smooth beneath his rougher hands, a quality that Seras appreciated as he rubbed his hands against them. He removed his hands from the mounds, allowing them to bounce back to their natural place.

He looked to her stiff nipples, their mauve areolas spanning out in a wide circle. He felt the immediate need to hold them in his mouth, to suck them, to lick and nip them. Seras shuddered at the stares he was giving her and decided to touch him. She placed a hand around his neck, kissing down his neck and to his chest. He placed a hand on her head, fingers entangling her hair. A low sigh escaped his lips, the subtle hint of a moan carried by it as she licked his flesh. Vlad felt himself twitch in his underwear, his cock crying for attention.

Seras sucked at his flesh hard, aiming to cause bruises even though she knew they would just disappear in a matter of seconds. It gave her satisfaction to see the hickies she left, even if for a moment. He shivered at the feel of her wet teeth scraping across his collarbone. She lifted her head to look into his eyes and spoke. "You should lay down." He obeyed the request and laid on his back.

Seras crawled on top of him as she did the day before, rubbing herself on his length. He groaned and bit his lip as he watched her full, pale mounds bounce and wobble with every movement, with every slow rub she gave him with her hot womanhood. She rolled her head back, hands on his chest as she rocked against him. He would push into her rolls softly, wanting to prolong the moment – and the view. He placed his hands on her hips and spoke. "Seras, you are an absolute goddess!" She laughed, the sound a gorgeous trill flowing through his ears.

"That's quite the overstatement." He shook his head.

"No, it's not." He remembered something and spoke again. "Oh, Seras?"

"Mhm?"

"I want you to remember last night."

"Last night?"

"Yes. You remember when I ripped those poor people apart?" She moaned and brought her head back to look at him, eyes narrowed in lust. "Remember how I bit into them, devoured them, tore their flesh from their – _oh –_ their bones." His breath was heavy as he spoke, little moans slipping in here and there. "It turned you on?" She nodded. "When I drank their blood, turned them to nothing more than puddles of gore. When – _Oh god…_ When I cut them open, impaled them on my own hands. Made them choke on their own blood. Think of it now. Does that excite you still?"

"Yes. God yes, Vlad." He groaned.

"You're fucking perfect. Absolutely fucking perfect." He moved his arms to hold her back. He pulled himself up slightly and pulled her up to his chest. From this angle, he could perfectly reach her breasts with his mouth. He took one in, suckling on the nipple gently at first, then harder and harder. He sucked the stiff peek for several moments before releasing it. He brought her breast closer to his face and bit her, teeth going deep into the fleshy tissue of the full mound. Seras cried out in pleasure at the sudden bite, her fingers tugging on his hair slightly.

He let blood flow into his mouth for several seconds before letting go and licking at her nipple, now turned red and puffy from the attention he had showed it. He suckled at it gently once more before placing a soft kiss atop it and moving on to the opposite breast. With his hands resting on her bottom, he groped at that as he pulled Seras' nipple into his mouth, allowing his teeth to scrape over them. His nails dug into the flesh of her buttocks and she whimpered, the sting mingling with the pleasure she was feeling.

He bit at her nipple, careful not to hurt her. She writhed and wriggled atop him, his chest growing damp with her liquid arousal. "Oh, Vlad… Mm, please touch me. God I need you." He let her breast fall from his mouth and flipped them over in a quick, swift motion.

"As you wish, regina mea." He reached a hand down to the center between her thighs, fingers immediately feeling the hot wetness pooling in her knickers. Seras whimpered and jumped at the foreign sensation of somebody else touching her there. Vlad took two of his fingers and rubbed around her aching clit through her knickers. _Oh god, he's really good. Aren't most guys supposed to be really bad at this? Well, I suppose Vlad isn't really a_ _ **guy**_ _. He's a man. A centuries-old man._

He continued to rub at her, all the while placing feverish kisses on her flesh and suckled at her neck. He felt her folds move with every soft rub he gave her and nibbled at her skin. He moved his fingers after a few moments, dragging them down slowly and up again. He softly brushed his fingers up and down her sex teasingly, making her hips roll and buck, animalistic grunts spilling from her throat as she tried to get more hard touches. _What a beautiful action._ He chuckled against her throat and spoke. "Seras, I want to push you over the edge of pleasure today."

In the middle of a teasing stroke, he pushed his fingers in, knowing that his fingers were sitting at her entrance. Seras moaned highly and tried pushing herself farther on his fingers. He pushed himself in, his fingers not going any farther than the very tips. Since her knickers were still on, he couldn't feel much but she did. She craved his length, to have him fill her up. "Vlad, please, this is torture! It's cruel."

"I'm a cruel man." He removed his fingers and placed them in the waistband, moving her panties down slowly. He kissed every inch of pale skin that was exposed by his teasing. He looked up to see her with her eyes pleading, lip caught between teeth. He grinned at her and stopped taking off the clothing. "Would you like me to take these off?" She nodded vigorously, a small whimper escaping her throat. He leaned down, running his tongue from just below her belly button up to her chest. He laid atop her, hands still slowly peeling her panties off. She writhed beneath him, trying to wiggle out of the knickers faster.

He started to kiss her neck, purring at the feel of her naked breasts against his chest. He finally pulled them down far enough, and Seras roughly kicked them off. He looked into her eyes, smiling at her impatience. "Well, well, Seras. How impatient of you." She growled at him and placed a hand on his arm, running it up and down slowly, feeling the muscles beneath his cold flesh.

"You're really having your fun with this, aren't you?" He nodded slowly and made his way back down her body, biting and kissing her excited flesh. She hissed as he came closer to her ready sex. He moved, readjusting himself to look at her mound. He stared at the gorgeous blonde curls, the dark pink flesh of her cunt glistening with arousal. He licked his lips, noticing her twitching thighs as he held them far apart. He moaned behind his lips. _She's absolutely perfect._

He moved and leaned down, kissing the inside of her thighs and nibbling the flesh right next to her begging mound. She whimpered as he bit down on one of her thighs, gently sucking blood from her. He felt his stomach light up hotter at the taste of the blood, filled with ecstasy and desire. He let go and licked the tender, swollen flesh that he had bitten. Her legs twitched and she brought her hands to run through his hair. He looked up at her and smiled, the smile making her chest ache with want. "Do you want me to touch you?"

"Yes." He brought his hand to her hot core, running his thumb over the soft flesh and taking pleasure in the way her body shivered at his touch. His tongue begged to taste her, but he wanted to tease her more. He ran his thumb up and down the entire length of her slit, moving smoothly over the wet flesh. He brought his thumb to her clit and rubbed it in quick light circles, making her moan and arch her back. He brought his other hand to run over the warm skin of her torso, resting on her hip and squeezing.

She could feel the adrenaline and lust running through her veins, her head full and heavy with anticipation. Vlad brought her thumb away from her aching clit and pressed it lightly at her entrance. He rubbed at her slick folds before pressing against them. Seras rolled her hips, a silent beg for him to enter her. He took the hint and pushed his thumb inside, marveling at the hot wetness of her. He rolled his thumb about inside of her, listening to her heated breaths. She continued rolling her hips and he pushed farther inside her, pushing in and out for a few seconds. He took his thumb from her, eliciting a disappointed cry from her. He chuckled and brought his face down to her sex. She shivered at the feel of his hot breath on her cunt, biting her lip again.

He waited, fueling her anticipation before pushing his arms beneath her and gripping both hips, elevating her slightly. He felt his own anticipation rising and took a long lick at her sensitive flesh. Seras bucked at the foreign sensation. He licked her up and down slowly, taking in the sweet, musky taste of her arousal threatening to send him over the edge. He kissed and sucked, his mouth lingering on her clit. Seras moaned and cried, her breathing quick and uneven. Her back arched high, and her fingers returned to get tangled in his hair. She pulled at it roughly and Vlad felt himself twitch in his briefs. He moaned as he lapped at her cunt, the act turning him on further. The taste, the moans and mews that Seras gave at his actions, the way she rolled and bucked her hips at his attention made every nerve in his body light up with ecstasy.

He gave her a slow lick, his tongue resting on her entrance. He moved his tongue in a circle against her, her nectar spilling into his mouth. She wriggled beneath him and he pushed his tongue in, going to the source of her sweet arousal. Seras jumped as his tongue penetrated her, the inhumanly long muscle going deep inside her. Just as Seras was wishing for him not to stop, he did, bringing his tongue from her core and moving back up to her clit. He licked against it roughly and moved a hand from her hip, holding her up with one. He brought his hand to her tingling mound and rubbed her with the pads of his fingers.

He rubbed her with all four fingers, his thumb replacing his tongue. He leaned up and brought his lips to her, having her taste herself. He pushed his tongue into her mouth, her tongue meeting his greedily. She wrapped an arm around his neck, nails digging into his shoulder. Seras sucked on his tongue, her lips sliding up and down it. She bit him lightly before releasing his tongue, her own juices filling her mouth. She moaned and kissed his face. "I love you." He continued rubbing her, his fingers slick with arousal.

He looked into her eyes and spoke as he pushed his two middle fingers inside her slowly. "And I love you Seras." She bit her lip, her eyes narrowing in pleasure at the feeling of being filled. She squeaked and pushed her face into his neck as he started finger-fucking her. He varied his speed, going from excruciatingly slowly to pounding into her like a jack-hammer. Seras' cries and mews delighted his senses and he took complete pleasure in feeling her tighten and squeeze against his fingers. Looking at her face, a mask of delicious desire and pleasure, he kissed her roughly, her moans pushed against his mouth. He felt her wetness dripping down his hand and he kissed her once more on the mouth before traveling back down to her sexual core.

With his hand still working at her, he moved his thumb from her clit and replaced it with his skilled tongue. Her hips twitched and he felt her becoming more and more wet as her orgasm began to peak its head. He quickened his pace, slamming his fingers roughly inside her. Seras gasped and squeaked as he suddenly moved his fingers inside her, pushing up against her G-spot quickly. She couldn't make any noise, taken over by pleasure at the dual stimulation of her twitching clit and G-spot. She felt her orgasm coming and she moaned breathily.

As she came, she felt herself tighten and clench around his fingers. She cried his name, over and over again. Vlad felt his chest tighten, his own orgasm threatening to come. She balled up blankets in her fists, her nails digging into the soft cotton of them. Taken over by complete passion, she felt her body vibrating, her legs trembling as Vlad continued licking at her. She mewed at his licks, feeling herself fall away into the pleasure he was giving her. No thoughts ran through her head, just the hard pounding of pleasure thrumming through her nerves. She felt his fingers leave her and his tongue lap at the wetness of her cunt hungrily. She shuddered and writhed beneath his grip on her, his hand moving to hold her down by her stomach.

As he licked at her, tasting her delicious nectar, his shadows moved out to around her, mingling with her own that had filled the room in her ecstasy. They caressed each other, swirling in and mixing with each other as Vlad pleased her. Each moan and quiver stoked his fire, each drop of her liquid arousal making his cock throb. He kissed and suckled at the sensitive flesh, resulting in Seras calling out to him again. "Oh Vlad, please! I want you! God, please, take me!" Her voice was full of sex and desire, her tone a needy beg. Satisfied with his job done to her, he removed his face from her heated sex and pulled himself atop her.

He kissed her deeply as he pushed himself against her, his hardness mingling with her wetness, separated only by his thin underwear. She dug her nails into his back, kissing him back, pleasure fluttering through her mind. He pulled back, looking into her eyes, searching their depths for any hint of regret or hesitation. Finding none, he smiled and kissed her nose lightly. "Are you sure?" She nodded. "Verbally, please." She laughed lightly and spoke.

"Yes, Vlad. I want you." He smiled softly at her, his body tingling.

"All right." He stood up and leaned on his knees, between her legs. He stroked himself for a moment, looking at the Queen in front of her, ready for him. He pulled his underwear off, his manhood springing to attention, throbbing for her touch.

Seras bit her lip, looking to the large appendage. His cock stood proud beneath dark curls. Her eyes traveled up and down, taking in every detail. _It's so nice looking. Everything about him is handsome. It's so veiny, but it's not unappealing; quite the opposite actually. He's so big, is it going to hurt? It didn't hurt when he used his fingers. He's uncircumcised, of course. That's so sexy, he's just perfect._ She started to blush as she took in his details quickly, not wanting to stare. She could see the impression of the tip of his cock beneath his tight foreskin. As he was hard, she could see the very tip of it, a glistening drop of precum sitting atop it.

"Enjoying the view?" She looked into his face, a grin plastered on his features as he watched her blush. She nodded, smiling back at him. He took his length in a hand and began to stroke himself, pulling the sensitive skin back from the head and running his finger over it. Seras sat up and touched his hand, looking into his eyes.

"Can I?" He nodded slowly, looking into her eyes. She replaced his hand and caressed his cock, her fingers running lightly across his flesh. He shuddered and breathed in deep, his manhood twitching at her touch. She moved her attention from his shaft to the tip, her fingers rubbing it in large circles, spreading out the precum that sat atop it. He hissed at her gentle touches, his eyes narrowing in pleasure. He looked to her as she stood on her knees next to him. He leaned in and kissed her cheek, fingers running in her soft hair. "Does this feel good?" He nodded, his eyes closing as her hand surrounded his cock.

She slid her hand up and down his shaft, watching his face as he opened his mouth and breathed unevenly. He bit his lip and allowed her to play with him for a few moments, moaning as she kissed and sucked at his neck, his chest. Soon after, he stopped her hand midway down his shaft and spoke to her, eyes half open in pleasure.

"Lay down." His voice wasn't so much a command as it was a plead, and Seras smiled and nodded as she did so. He stroked himself for a moment longer, looking to her as she played with her breasts. She bit her lip and looked to him, hands on her heavy breasts.

"Are you going to do anything, or are you just going to watch me?" Vlad growled at her as he spoke.

"That depends. Are you going to show me something?" She smiled slyly and batted her lashes at him as she slid a hand down between her thighs, legs opening. His eyes followed her hand and he licked his lips as she began to stroke herself. He moaned and watched her, hand working slowly on his cock. Seras pushed a finger into herself, bringing it back up to her mouth and sucking on it. Vlad quivered at the sight, Seras smiling and playing with her lip.

He moved, laying above her. He kissed her face, her lips, her neck, her breasts. He felt her hot slick sex against his own. With his lips pressed against hers, their tongues playing, he rubbed against her, his length surrounding by her needy cunt. Her wetness dropped down his shaft, making him groan into her mouth with every smooth thrust. He leaned out of the kiss and grabbed himself. With his manhood in his hand, he angled himself to penetrate her. She rolled her hips on him and he rubbed up and down the length of her achy slit teasingly. Seras sighed and moaned, her back arching. He moaned himself, her soft flesh threatening to make him explode.

"Do you want me?" He reached his other hand over to caress her curves. "Do you want me inside you?" Seras panted at his teasing cock.

"Yes, fuck yes, I want all of you. I want every inch of you." Her voice was breathy and delicious and Vlad pushed himself inside her gently.

He moaned at the feeling, her wet walls tightening around him as she stretched to accommodate his size. Seras gasped at the sudden stretching feeling, a dull pain ringing through her sex. She squeaked at it and Vlad stopped, leaning down into a more comfortable position atop her. "Are you all right?" She groaned at the throbbing and spoke.

"Just… Give me a minute?" He smiled gently and nodded. He placed kisses on her face, her forehead, cheeks, her nose, waiting for the pain she felt to subside. She moved her hands to rest around his neck and nodded. "I'm ready."

He thrust into her gently, more of his shaft going inside her hot core. She moaned against him, first in pain and then in pleasure as he started thrusting in and out of her. He felt her relax both underneath and around him and started to push in quicker. He moaned at the way her cunt encircled his cock, the way he moved smoothly inside her wet walls. He picked her up in his arms, holding her tightly against him as he pushed in and out of her.

Seras moaned at the feeling of being filled by his thick member. She could feel every inch of him, every time he throbbed or twitched inside her. Every centimeter of her skin was electrified, every brush of his own against hers setting her on fire. She began to buck her hips against his pushes, and he pushed harder into her. She groaned loudly as he slammed against the barrier of her cunt, completely filling her up. She moaned and sighed into his ear and he groaned and whimpered into hers.

He fucked her passionately, not wanting to take any moment of it for granted. His skin was on fire, every time her naked body rubbed against his own, he quivered. His fangs were elongated and he felt his orgasm sneaking up. _I'm making love to my Seras. My Queen. God damn, this is delicious. This is the most pleasure I've ever felt. Perhaps it's different when you're in love._

Seras' legs wrapped around his waist hard, pushing him farther into her. She grunted and cried as he made love to her. He whispered into her ear, words she couldn't understand. He spoke in his native tongue, not meaning for her to reply or comprehend. He couldn't help the words that rolled out of his mouth, nor the groans that followed. She felt herself succumbing to her orgasm, nails sinking into his flesh, teeth biting into him roughly. He moaned as she did so, his own orgasm quickly approaching as her cunt quivered against him and squeezed his cock.

He pushed into her rapidly, balls tightening as he came inside her. He moaned out, teeth scraping against her sweaty flesh. He continued thrusting into her as his cock twitched, his cum filling her. Seras moaned at the sensation, at being filled with his hot ejaculate, mind swimming as her teeth stayed inside him. His blood tasted of honey and excitement, the pleasure from his orgasm running through his veins. Seras let go, her legs falling from his waist as they shook.

Vlad remained inside her as his manhood twitched and softened. He lost himself in the moment, his mind only thinking of the pleasure he felt. He laid atop her, catching his breath and composure before leaning up and looking into her eyes. Seras was panting as well, her face filled with pleasure and contentment. He smiled at the sight and spoke, his voice breathy.

"I love you, Seras." She smiled back at him, fingers playing with his hair loosely.

"I love you too." He breathed in deep, exhaling as he slid himself off of her body and sitting next to her. Seras sat up as well, and Vlad moved to slide his hand between her legs again. "What are you…" He brought a finger up to her mouth.

"Taste." Seras blushed and took his finger into her mouth, sucking his cum from it. She sucked it until there was nothing left, and licked her lips as he removed it from her mouth. Vlad smiled at her and kissed her softly. "Good girl." He laid back, resting his head on a pillow and laying his arm out for Seras to lay on.

She did and nuzzled her head into his chest. She ran a finger over his chest before laying her hand in her hair and twirling it lazily between fingers. She leaned up and pulled the blankets over them, getting comfy to sleep. He purred beneath her, his body humming. She enjoyed the moment, her mind traveling to when he spoke to her in Romanian. _I wonder what he said?_ "Vlad?"

"Hm?"

"What did you say when you spoke in Romanian?"

"Did I?" She nodded, her head against his chest. "I didn't notice. I said, 'You're a gorgeous creature and I want to spend eternity with you. I love you so much, I want to give you the world. I want to give you everything.'" He hummed before continuing. "You are my mate, and you belong to me, just as I belong to you. You're mine, just as I am yours; completely." Seras smiled and looked up at him to see his eyes were closed.

"You're right." His eyes opened slowly.

"About what?"

"I _am_ yours, and _you_ are mine. I want to spend eternity with you, as well." He stared at her for a moment.

"Will you be my wife, then?"


	25. Insight

"Will I… I'm sorry, what?" She lifted from his chest to look into his eyes, which were lowered to her. Seras' eyes were open wide, her body rigid. She never thought she might hear him say those words, hear him even _speak_ of marrying her, being anything more than another woman in his long life. She was in disbelief and her mind was blank, though she thought for a brief moment that she should be happy, not confused.

"Never mind, Seras. You don't need to answer." _Yes you do. Did I misunderstand her feelings for me? Perhaps I did. Perhaps she_ _ **doesn't**_ _wish to be with me._ Vlad looked away as his lover was silent, soft hands on his chest. He tried entering her mind, briefly, but found it to be unreadable, no one thought standing out to him, and every thought molded together in a dull hum. He retreated to his own mind.

Seras watched his face, taking note of the soft look of worried disappointment on it. If her heart could beat, she was sure it would be hammering in her chest. She cleared her throat. "Vlad, did you just ask me to be your wife? As in, you would be my husband? As in we would be married?" Her voice was soft and trembling slightly. Vlad's eyes opened to look into hers.

"Well, yes, that _is_ typically what is involved in becoming a man's wife." He expected to find disgust in her eyes, but found only gentle confusion. Her body was vibrating slightly, he noticed. She smiled after a moment, her small fangs peaking out. Her face brightened, eyes crinkling.

"Are you proposing then?" She giggled as he arched an eyebrow.

"I don't propose." She leaned in close to his face.

"If you don't propose, then I suppose I don't marry." She laughed again as he narrowed his eyes. A low growl came from his throat and she smirked, wrapping her leg around his waist, near straddling him. She felt him bristle underneath her, his manhood hardening against her thigh.

"Is that so?" he spoke now, between his teeth. He brought his hands around her, caressing her soft leg. Seras nodded slowly, smirk still on her face.

"If I am to marry you, then you'll just have to propose. Do you even have a ring?" She joked with the last statement, laughing against him.

"I do, actually." Seras stopped laughing and cocked her head.

"Really?" He nodded, a smile creeping on his face.

"Indeed." _So, he's being serious? Or is he teasing me? Oh, screw it. What's the worst that could happen?_

"Fine." He cocked his own head now, brow furrowing. "I want to marry you. I want to be your wife. I want you," she tapped his nose, "to be my husband. I'm all yours." His eyes widened slightly, mouth agape.

"You… You will?" She nodded.

"I will. But now, I'm going to sleep." She stifled a laugh as she crawled down, curling into a comfortable position. Vlad mumbled something under his breath in Romanian, and Seras made a mental not to learn his native language. She could practically feel the confusion radiating from him as he wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her in close. He nuzzled her hair, planting small kisses on her head. She felt herself drifting to sleep, despite the intense excitement building in her chest.

 _Everything is moving so fast. Or is it? We've known each other for decades, I suppose, even if he was absent for… all of them. It seems like just a few days ago I was dreaming about marrying him. Now he wants to marry me and… I… I just need to sleep and think about it in the evening. Pip? Are you awake?_ She felt the slight tingle of him asleep in her mind, and was partially relieved that he didn't know what had just transpired between the two vampires, partially disappointed that she could talk to anybody about it yet. She wriggled against her lover's form, getting comfortable for sleep.

* * *

Vlad woke up early in the evening, moving away from Seras' still sleeping form. He dressed himself, and phased down into his room. He went straight to the large dresser at the far end of his room and brought out a chest from a drawer. The same chest that Seras had tried to get into, several months before. He remembered that night, and felt a slight pang of guilt at yelling at her.

He opened it, turning his shadows into a key for the lock. Inside it, he pushed through the mementos he had collected over his long life, searching for a specific item. Once he found it, he pocketed it, locking the chest back up and replacing it in its drawer.

* * *

Seras' eyes fluttered open slowly as she rose from the bed. The blankets slipped down her body and she stepped from the bed. Vlad was absent and she looked around for him, finding him nowhere. She opened up the drapes to see that it was rather dark outside. "Beautiful," she sighed, smiling.

She put the previous night's clothing on, picking the articles off the floor. Fully dressed, she shook her head, moving her hair. After rubbing her eyes, she wiped the dark smudges of her makeup away from under her eyes. She noticed that sometime during her sleep, Pip had left her mind. She went out, in search of people.

She walked along the halls, slowly. She felt absolutely content, her mind humming with happiness. _Last night… This morning… Oh, god, it was all so nice. Everything has been so perfect._ The smile on her lips dropped. _Aside from losing Integra. To think, in order for me to be happy with Vlad, she had to die. No, she didn't. We still could have been happy. Just, just in a different way. Integra was murdered. Oh, lord, and we had sex in her bed! How twisted is that? What is the matter with me?_

She sighed and noticed the sound of people talking in a room she hadn't often been in. People were laughing and she opened the door to find Vincent leaning against a window, smiling towards Pip. Vlad was sitting in a chair across the room, away from the other two men. Oddly enough, Catrina was the only one absent. When she entered, everybody but Vlad turned to her, greeting the small blonde. She smiled at Pip and Vincent.

"So, how was it?" Pip asked, a large grin on his face. Seras furrowed her brow, walking further into the room.

"How was what?" Vincent rolled his eyes as Pip laughed.

"It was very hard to sleep this morning. You kept me up almost as long as you kept _him_ up, cheri!" Seras' eyes opened wide and she gasped.

"Shut up, you bastard! Nothing happened!" Vlad chuckled, making Seras look to him. "Did you tell them?" He looked at her, smiling sweetly.

"I love you! Was it supposed to be a secret, draga mea? I love you; so I _made love to you_. It only makes sense." She shook her head at him and he smiled wider.

"Please do not talk about it around others!" she growled between clenched teeth. Vlad shrugged slowly.

"You don't mind, do you Vincent? I know Captain Bernadette certainly doesn't mind." Pip laughed, shaking his head in both an answer and disbelief. Seras walked over to Vlad and he immediately pulled her onto his lap. "Fine, Seras. I won't speak of how amazing you are."

"Thank you." She turned her face away from him.

"While you were sleeping, we were discussing Integra's funeral." _Oh._ She looked at every man before her eyes rested on her lover's own.

"Really? What about it?"

"It will be tomorrow."

"Tomorrow? During the day?"

"Yes, a lot of people wanted to come, I suppose. Either to celebrate the death of the remaining Hellsing monarch, or to mourn it. You belong to the latter, while I…"

"Ok, just… Stop talking about it. What time will it be?"

"Four o'clock." Seras sighed.

"Well, I guess that's not too early. I'll be there, of course." She looked to Pip and Vincent. "You two will too, right?" Vincent nodded quickly while Pip replied verbally.

"Of course I will, Seras. I'll be there for you, and for our fallen comrade." Seras smiled at Pip's sentiment. She pushed her way from Vlad's lap and stood. She stretched before smiling again.

"Good. Now, do we have any plans tonight?" Vlad looked at Seras, her eyes wide. _You have no idea, draga mea._ He smiled back at her and rested his hands behind his head.

"Nothing too spectacular. See some sights, kill some poor people… The usual." Seras pondered for a moment, hand resting on her hips. Vlad took in her form, eyes looking over her body lovingly. _I hope you say yes, Seras. I hope to Christ you do. I don't know what I'm going to do without you in my life._ He sucked his teeth as he heard her reply.

"I don't feel like eating tonight."

"Really?" Seras shrugged. "Alright then. We don't have to." The blonde smiled and nodded before leaving the room. Vlad looked between the two men again. "What is it?" Vincent shook his head.

"What are you planning on doing tonight?"

"None of your business, butler." Vlad moved to lay on the couch he was sitting on, his long legs hanging off the edge. He heard Vincent scoff and closed his eyes.

"Well then what do you plan on doing after the funeral? I know you want to leave England."

"Well, I haven't exactly kept it a secret. I'm going to ask her what she wants to do."

"And if she wants to stay?" Vlad looked to the butler.

"I haven't decided if she gets a choice or not."

"So you're just going to give her the illusion of choice?" Pip's brow was furrowed as he leaned forward.

"As I said; I haven't decided." Pip sighed and stood.

"I'm going to go see what she's up to." Vlad nodded and was left with Vincent as Pip phased out of the room. Vlad eyed the butler, feeling the tension in the room.

"I really don't like you," said the man. Vlad laughed, grinning towards him.

"Really? I didn't get that hint when you blew my brains out the first time." Vincent narrowed his dark eyes.

"But I care about Seras." The vampire turned away.

"How odd… It feels as if we've had this conversation before."

"I won't let you hurt her, and you know that. And I know that Seras loves you. And you _say_ you love her. Wherever you two go, I go. If you take her to Romania, I'm coming with you. If you take her all across the world, I'm coming with you. I'll be there for her. And if you hurt her, I'll hurt you." Vlad scoffed.

"Oh, good luck with that, little boy."

"I'm going to keep reminding you of that, every day if I have to."

"Or until I get sick of your mindless prattle." Vincent chuckled.

"Or that."

* * *

Pip walked through the halls, making his way to Seras slowly. _I know I shouldn't think it, but he did something. He did something to make all this happen. I know he did. But what? Should I tell her? …No. Not until I know for a fact what he did. But he did_ _ **something**_ _. He couldn't have killed her himself because of the bonds. Maybe he somehow got Bathory to do it for him? Would that have worked? Ah, Pip, you're just going crazy._

He chuckled and took a long puff on his cigarette. He found the blonde he was looking for leaning against one of the large windows of the estate. He stared for a moment, feeling the deep melancholy running throughout her. He felt immediate sadness on her behalf. "Pip?" Seras didn't turn to speak to him, instead still peering out the window.

Pip came up to her, leaning on the side opposite her. "Oui?"

"Sometimes, when I'm alone, I just feel like I'm… broken. Like I'm only half of what I used to be. When I'm not with anybody, I feel so… I feel so fucking empty." She turned to him and he saw her eyes welling with crimson tears. He felt his heart ache in a phantom pain at the sight of his love hurting. He brought an arm out and Seras came to him, holding him tightly.

He ran his hands through her hair, relishing the feel of her against him. It wasn't something he felt often, usually just soft brushes of her hands, or her hair. There was a time where they had explored a relationship, briefly. It never went half as far as her relationship with her former master. _Because she doesn't love me the way she loves him. I know that. I've always known it. But I love her. And I will do whatever it takes to be there for her. I've always been with her. Always._

"Talk to me, Seras."

"I don't know what to say! Integra is gone and I don't know if I can handle being alone with that fact. I miss her and there was still so much I wanted to do with her. I wanted to travel with her again, go all the places she wanted to go, but we never made it to. I wanted to eat chocolate cake with her again, hear her chastise me and laugh as she held my hair when I threw it up.

I wanted so much, and now I can never have it. It's not fair. She was a good woman! She didn't do anything to deserve this. Not a thing."

"I'm sure most vampires would disagree."

"If their problem was being killed, why didn't they just target me? I'm the one that did it. Integra rarely hunted!"

"Don't tell me you would've rather died in her place?"

"Well-"

"Because then I would die too. You'd be killing us both. That's murder, you know," Pip teased. Seras' muffled laugh sent chills down his spine. "Listen; there was nothing you could have done. It happened. Why it happened isn't as important as the fact that it happened. You have to move on. We'll go to the funeral, and then we will only think of the good, happy memories Integra left behind. Alright?" Seras was silent against him. "Is that alright with you?"

Sighing, Seras met his eye. "But don't you just feel so alone now? Being the only one with a missing eye?" After a moment, Pip burst out into laughter, Seras following.

"I suppose that may be something I'll feel in the future. You know, I'm sure you could figure out a way to get rid of one of yours. All you really need is one, you know." He pointed at Seras' eye and she slapped his hand away playfully, giggling and stepping back from him.

"Oh, please. Having my eyes sliced in half was bad enough." Pip watched on as Seras was silent.

"What are you thinking of?"

"Do you think Iscariot will be there? At the funeral, I mean."

"It's possible. I know families of the Roundtable members will be attending. You, me, Vincent, Alu… Vlad… Some other people. It's going to be quiet and small and good. And you can say whatever you need to to Integra then." Seras nodded.

"Did you… You didn't really… You don't really know _what exactly_ we did last night, do you?" Seras looked at Pip nervously and for a moment, he thought about lying and saying he knew everything.

"No. I did get your little lover boy to tell me some details." Her eyes narrowed.

"Like what?"

"Like how – and I'm quoting here – _sweet and delicious your little moans were. How amazing the feeling of your nails digging into his back were. How perfectly you pushed and moved against him._ Things like that." Seras cringed and Pip laughed. "Or perhaps… I'm lying." She cocked her head slightly, narrowing her eyes.

"Tell me the truth." Pip sighed, putting a hand on his hip.

"Oh, fine. That's what he said, but he said no more."

"Oh, thank god. I don't need you knowing what I do in bed."

"Why? Is it kinky? Pease tell me you're into spanking or whips and chains or _something interesting._ " Seras laughed, the sound bringing a smile to Pip's face.

"Wouldn't that give you a lot to think about? Tell me, can you even get it up, Pip?"

"Oh, you _know_ I can! Don't say stupid things." Pip felt his cheeks heat with embarrassment and he looked away. Seras laid a hand on his chest and he looked back down to her.

"If it's not too much of a request, could you sleep with me tonight? Like, solidly, next to me?" He bristled.

"Eh… Don't you think _he'll_ be a little uncomfortable with that? I mean, me spooning you, him spooning me, it's just not a very pretty scene!" Seras laughed again at his teasing. "But fine. I will sleep with you. But only because you asked me so nicely."

"Good." Just then, Seras' face went blank. A moment later, she looked to him and spoke. "That was Vlad. He wants me to meet him out front. I'll try not to be back very late, alright?" Pip nodded and gave a friendly smile. He watched as Seras disappeared down the dimly lit hallway, sighing wistfully as she faded out of view. "Sometimes, I really wish I was him." He turned to the window and watched as Seras practically jumped into the older vampire's arms, planting kisses on him. He saw the bright glow of his eyes through the darkness, the glint of his teeth in the dim starlight.

He felt animosity growing inside him, despite never truly feeling any ill feelings towards the man. _I know he's done something._ Pip turned away, leaning against the window as he popped out a ghostly cigarette to puff on. As he exhaled the smoke from his lungs, he clucked his tongue. "I'll find out what it was. For Seras."

He stayed there until he saw the couple come back, hours later.

* * *

Seras ran into Vlad's arms, catching him by surprise. "Oh! Seras, what are you doing?" He laughed and swung her around, lifting her short legs off of the ground. Seras placed a kiss on his cheek.

"What? We can't act like a nice romantic couple?" Vlad chuckled in her ear as he set her down.

"Like humans? Seras, if you want a human relationship, I think you're shopping in the wrong department." As Seras left his arms, she stretched.

"Oh please," she said in between stretches, "what more could a girl want? You've got everything."

"Mm. Like what?" Seras looked him in the eyes as she spoke with a straight face.

"Power, wealth, amazing hair, an absolutely drop dead gorgeous girlfriend. Everything!" He sighed before walking on.

"I do have nice hair, don't I?" Seras rolled her eyes and followed. They walked side by side for a few seconds before she spoke.

"Where are we going?"

"A place you'll like."

"That's not very descriptive. Any hints?"

"Hm… Let's see," Vlad took Seras' hand in his. "No, can't think of anything at the moment. I guess you'll just have to wait until we get there." Seras huffed.

"Why can't you ever just do what I ask?"

"You're not my master. As of now, I don't have one. And I don't plan on having another." _He's so bitter. I would be too, after what he's been through, though._

"Alright, just forget I said anything then."

She walked with Vlad for miles, watching the scenery change into more lush and green areas. It truly was beautiful. She had always loved nature. Finally, they stopped. They were in a meadow, in a forest. Seras didn't question why he brought her there, she just enjoyed the scenery. There was a crystal stream flowing nearby, animals drinking from it every so often. Long grass and bushes, tall trees.

"This is beautiful, Vlad. How do you know about this place?"

"When you have as much time as I did when Integra was growing up, you find ways to amuse yourself. One way was exploring. Walking until I found something. I found this place, many years ago; untainted by human touch. I thought this would be nice place to spend the night." _I can't say I disagree._ Seras sat down on a soft patch of grass, Vlad leaned against a tree.

The girl laid back, resting her head on the ground. She looked up through the leaves of tall trees, stars peaking out from their limbs. Sighing, she turned on her side to look at Vlad. He stood, with his arms crossed, one foot up on the wood of the tree, one planted firmly on the solid soil. He looked down at the ground until she spoke.

"I really love how you bring me to all the prettiest places." He gave a subtle nod. "Vlad, come over here. Why are you being so distant? Come on," she pat the ground next to her. He sighed and obliged her, moving to her side and laying down. He ran his fingers through her short hair and gave her a small kiss on the forehead.

"Seras, how do you feel?"

"What do you mean?"

"I can feel… something. You're not your usual self. Not the same as before Integra died. Something is different." Seras was quiet for a long time.

"I just miss her."

"Did you love her?" As Vlad said this, his voice was low, quiet. As if he didn't want to know the answer. Seras smiled gently.

"Not the way I love you." Vlad smiled softly in response. Seras brought her hands up to his face, pushing him down gently. She leaned over him and kissed him.

They kissed for ages, hands exploring, tongues mingling, bodies vibrating together. Seras wrapped her fingers in Vlad's hair, and he did the same to her. Seras moaned against him, against his mouth as he grabbed at her flesh more forcefully. He nipped her bottom lip with his fangs, and she pulled his hair gently. Pulling her mouth from its union with his, she licked her way to his neck, where she suckled and bit from for several moments. He purred in response, fingers stroking her body.

Seras lifted her face from his neck and smiled at him. "You really are easy to please." He scoffed, pushing her off of him. They both sat up, looking at each other lovingly.

Seras laid on top of Vlad for hours, the two speaking of their pasts, their memories. Vlad had opened up to her slightly, speaking briefly of his childhood. Nothing important, just about the similarities between hers and his own. As the hours past, he felt himself become more and more nervous. With his free hand, he fingered the case in his pocket. He wanted to wait until the perfect moment.

The moment was fast approaching now, and he sighed. He untangled his fingers from Seras' belt loops and sat up, bringing her with him. She stared at him, wondering what he was doing. "Seras, stand up." She cocked her head.

"What? Why?" _She looks so beautiful when she's confused. Or is that fear?_

"Just do it." She shook her head slowly, but did as he asked. He rose with her, holding her in a loose embrace.

"What are you doing?"

"Seras Victoria. I have loved you for as long as I've known you. I killed you, and I gave you a new life. You have been everything I have ever wanted, ever dreamt of, and more. You are perfect, and beautiful, and everything that I need. I want you to be by my side forever. And you said you want the same, right?" Seras nodded slowly, eyes wide. Excitement burst through the air, stemming not only form the small blonde, but from her maker as well. _Christ, am I really doing this? I can't believe this little girl is making me act like such a fool._ He dropped to one knee and pulled the box from his pocket.

Seras gasped, eyes widening further. _Is he really doing this? I never thought he would do something like this… Oh god. Is he proposing to me? What do I do?!_

"My Seras Victoria…" _What the hell is he saying? He can't be serious, can he?_ "Will you marry me?"

Seras felt her throat hitch at his words. "Will I…" Vlad looked up at her expectantly.

"Marry me? Be my wife?" She looked at the open box in his hand to find a gorgeous ring, inlayed with a large ruby in the center. It was surrounding by precious looking dark stones. All the jewels were set in a shining golden ring. Seras' head was a jumbled mess, the only word running through it being…

"Yes." Vlad looked up at her, almost in disbelief. "Yes." Seras felt tears fall down her cheeks and Vlad slid the ring on her finger. "What if it didn't fit?" Vlad rose slowly.

"Well, I suppose I would just have to find another woman to wed." Seras laughed before pulling him close and kissing him.

* * *

Vincent knocked on Catrina's door. Immediately, her voice called from behind the wood.

"What the hell is it? I'm sleeping!"

"What do you mean you're sleeping? It's not even sunrise yet." Hard footsteps marched towards the door and Catrina opened it. It appeared that she _had_ been sleeping, her hair a mess and makeup smudged on her face.

"What does it matter what fucking time it is? I'm tired." She rubbed her eyes, further smudging black eyeliner under them. She sighed and Vincent raised an eyebrow. "I'm sorry. What do you want?"

"Can I come in? I wanted to ask you a few things." Catrina nodded, allowing him entrance to her room.

Inside, he sat on her bed. He looked around, seeing clothes and various empty alcohol bottles scattered on the floor. She walked over to him, choosing to crawl under the blankets of the bed. Vincent turned around to look at her. "What is it you wanted to ask?"

"I wanted to know if you knew anything about Integra's death." Catrina's face seemed to freeze.

"Like what…?"

"Well, you were here. You were with Bathory. Surely you know why your master chose to attack; and on that night."

"All I know is that she wanted Hellsing dead. She also wanted the king to be freed. She thought she could get his power if she freed him… Either by making him love her or trying to guilt him. I didn't think she would get what she wanted, but I didn't think she would die either. Anything else you wanted to know? Anything… specific?" _Does she want to tell me something? What?_ Vincent searched Catrina's eyes for an answer, but found nothing.

"No." Catrina nodded, pushing her face into pillows.

"Then get out." The former butler chuckled, rising from her bed. He left and as he exited the room, he ran straight into Pip.

Vincent fell to the ground, while Pip was still standing. "Merde! Are you ok, Vincent?" The familiar leaned down, holding a hand out for him. Vincent took it, rising back to his feet.

"I'm fine. Sorry about that, Pip. How about you?" Pip laughed, shaking his head noncommittally. "Well, what are you doing here?" He shrugged.

"Just biding my time until Seras wants me to see her."

"Did they come back?"

"Oui, and little miss Victoria was positively glowing. I wonder what happened tonight…" Pip's eyes narrowed as he played with his braid.

"Nothing good, I'm sure. Well, I'm actually just heading to bed now."

"Is this," Pip pointed to Catrina's door. "that girl… Catrina's room?" Vincent nodded.

"Why? If you need to talk to her, I'd suggest you wait until a later time. She's a bit grumpy right now."

"Shut the fuck up out there or I'll rip your god damn heads off!" A muffled voice growled from behind the door. Pip stared at the door for a moment before nodding.

"I'll see you another time then, Vincent." The two men parted ways and as Vincent walked the opposite way from him, he looked back on the Frenchman. _What's the matter with him?_

* * *

Seras laid in her bed as Vlad looked at the pictures hanging on the wall. She kicked her legs up again and again, trying to get his attention. His eyes flicked over to her for no more than a second before returning to the photographs.

"So even as your fiancée, I'm still going to be ignored?" Vlad merely smirked, still examining her wall. "Typical. Oh and during our wedding, you can say 'I take you, Police Girl, to be my wife.' Doesn't that sound nice?" Her fiancée laughed out loud now, turning to face her.

"Wedding? Who says we need to be wed? If I say you're my wife, then you are." Seras just shook her head slowly, smile creeping on her lips.

"We were obviously raised in different time periods. You see, when people are in love and want to be together, they marry. And they have weddings. I. Want. A. Wedding." Vlad rolled his eyes, moving to sit by her.

"Fine, Seras. If it's a wedding you want, then you shall have one." _I didn't expect him to give in so easily._ Seras smiled triumphantly. "With a priest, and little flower-girls, and all the pathetic things humans want," the vampire sneered.

"Or, I could just take this ring off right now and forget all about-"

"Shut up, Seras," he laughed as he fell back on the bed. Seras flipped around to lay next to him. She put her head on his shoulder and he wrapped an arm around her. As she traced shapes on Vlad's chest, the door opened and her familiar greeted her.

As Pip looked on at the two vampires, he noticed a ring on Seras' finger. He felt his chest tighten as he looked on at it. "What… What is that?" He pointed shakily towards the jewelry. Seras looked at the ring, too, a smile stretching across her bright features. She looked to Pip, eyes full of happiness.

"That is a ring, Captain Bernadotte. I'm sure you've seen one before," the man underneath her spoke, his eyes closed.

"Yes, but why is it on _that_ finger?" Vlad opened his eyes, looking to Pip with lids half open.

"I proposed, she said yes, she wants to be my wife. Surely you understand the concept, as idiotic as it may seem at times." Seras smacked his chest.

"How is it _idiotic?_ "

"You're already my mate. That also makes you my wife. Marriage doesn't mean anything, nor does a proposal. You're just pathetically sentimental." Pip watched on in a daze as the two vampires bickered playfully, kissing and growling.

"Oh. Well. I… I guess I just didn't expect this." _What if I find out that he_ _ **did**_ _have something to do with Integra's death? How will she react now? She's happy for now, that's what counts._ Seras, now pinned to the mattress by Vlad's shadows, looked to Pip.

"Neither did I." Pip looked over to the elder Nosferatu, now caressing Seras' thigh.

"So, do you still want me to sleep with you, or would that be intruding?" Vlad furrowed his brow, looking quickly to Seras.

"Sleep with you?" Seras' shadows brushed Vlad's away and she sat up.

"Yeah, I just wanted to sleep with him. He makes me feel better."

"And I don't?" Seras sighed.

"Well, Vlad, you've never been very good at consoling me. I don't think you've ever actually gotten involved in any emotional trouble I'm going through. The most you do is hold me and let me cry all over you." Pip sat at the table in the room.

Vlad looked between the Frenchman and his mate, jaw clenched and eyes narrowed in confusion. "I know I'm not the best at dealing with emotion, but I try. For you, I try. It's difficult to try and understand why somebody is feeling something that you yourself haven't felt in centuries. But I try." _What else can I do?_ Seras smiled at him, warm and kind. She placed a hand on his cheek as she spoke.

"I know you do. And I love that you do. It's nothing personal, Vlad. I mean, he's always keeping me up all day with his chatting." She tapped her head and Pip chuckled. "If you aren't alright with it, I won't do it, alright? Just tell me."

Seras could tell that he wasn't, but she didn't want to do anything unless he said it. He held her gaze for a moment before sighing and shaking his head. "No, I suppose it's fine. But I'm staying in here as well." Pip laughed, grinning.

"Ah, so how are we all supposed to fit?"

"What exactly is the difference between him sleeping in _there,_ " Vlad put a finger to Seras' forehead, "and him sleeping next to you?" Vlad's voice was agitated and fervent, so different from his cool demeanor seconds before.

"Vlad, if you-"

"No. It's fine, it's fine." He sighed, looking down. " _I'm fine,"_ he muttered under his breath. Seras put her hand on his thigh, moving around to look at him.

"Is this weird? Is it too weird?" Vlad didn't answer her, instead moving quickly to sit across from Pip at the table, his boots up on the wood. He then spoke in rapid French, leaving Seras confused, but Pip listened.

" _ **Man to man, and I'm sure you understand why I'm saying this to you, if you touch her I will kill you. And this time, you'll stay dead. This is the only time I will allow something like this to happen. Simply put; you do something, anything, I don't like, you're dead. Do you understand?"**_ Vlad's voice was low, monotone, cold. Nearly absent of all emotion, yet laced with prominent bitterness. Pip took a moment to answer.

" _You really don't need to be giving me a lecture right now. Listen, Seras is very close to my heart, but I'm not stupid enough to try and fuck her with you anywhere near. Besides, she loves you, not me. She agreed to be yours, not mine. You're paranoid. But, fine, I'll watch my hands. Good?"_ Vlad nodded once, a smirk playing on his lips. His dark eyes glowed with something Pip couldn't quite place, somewhere between jealousy and anger, yet not frighteningly so. After a moment of looking into the vampire's eyes, Pip turned to the puzzled blonde. "He said it's alright with him." She cocked her head.

"Really? He did?"

"I did," said Vlad as he curled his body around hers on the bed. Seras smiled before yawning and laying down. Vlad's body cradled hers, and he pulled her close to him. His back was against the wall, hers against his chest. In a mere second, blankets were draped over the two and Seras pat the space left on the bed.

"Come on then!" She flashed him a toothy smile, the one he loved to see directed towards him, and he moved his booted feet forward. He sat on the edge, pulled off his tactical gear, and slid next to Seras. He turned towards her, their faces inches apart. He played with her hair for a moment before tapping her nose. She giggled and tapped him back.

"Pip, do you think snails dream?"

"Maybe."

"What would they dream about?"

"Probably racing other snails."

"If I were a snail, do you think I'd win?"

"If you were a snail I don't think you'd do anything." Seras laughed for a moment, trying to contain laughter. "What? It wasn't that funny."

"No, if I were a snail I'd be a… A… Police Snail!" She burst into laughter, having to catch her breath when she finished. Pip laughed as well, more so at her intense laughter than the pun. Vlad groaned into the crook of her neck.

"You hear that? That's the woman you made into a vampire. A police snail." Vlad buried his face deeper into Seras' neck.

"You still act like a 19-year old."

"Isn't that my most charming quality though?" Both men laughed, and Vlad agreed.

"It very well may be." He hummed for a moment. "No, actually, I believe your most charming quality is the softness of your lips." Seras chuckled, turning her face to Vlad's.

"My lips are soft?"

"Mm, very." They cooed and purred at each other before Pip groaned.

"Please, stop. Or at least turn out the lights so I don't have to look." In response, all light went out in the room. He closed his eye, and wished he could close his ears to block out the sounds of wet kissing next to him. With every movement the two made, the sheets shifted and the mattress moved. Pip sighed before turning on his back.

A few moments later, the kissing and moving stopped, and arms encircled one of his own. They held on tightly and Pip smiled. "Good night, cheri."

"Good night, Pip."


	26. So Sudden

_**Ferne's Thoughts:**_ Hey guys! Sorry about the delay on this one. I spent all day and night yesterday binge watching Season 4 of Orange Is The New Black. But, I've finished it already, so I've got more time to write! This one is decently long, and a bit of a filler for the next chapter(s). Hope you enjoy!

* * *

Vlad kept his eyes closed, but couldn't sleep. He knew that Seras was holding on to Pip as she slept, and he wished that it was him she had her hands around. Deep down, he knew that it meant nothing to Seras. He knew that she wasn't interested in her familiar, but still, jealousy remained. He didn't want to be too possessive of her, when it came to Pip, but he knew there needed to be boundaries. At least when he was around. He didn't want to see something that may be innocent between the two of them and interpret it as otherwise. Hurting or destroying Pip would hurt Seras, and he didn't want that.

 _I can't take everybody from her. I can make them keep their distance, but I can't take them all away. Seras would… She would fall apart. She's so sensitive, I don't know if she would ever recover. It was bad enough when a soldier died, but to have all of her closest companions ripped from her by her lover? That would destroy her._

But what he didn't see would eat at him. Knowing the history between the two, the paranoia of Seras finding more solace in her familiar than in her mate nibbled at his mind. He had finally obtained her, finally got his Seras, _his love_. He wasn't about to place her up for the opportunity of losing her, of her being taken away from him again.

He adjusted himself against her warm form, pushing his face against her soft hair. He breathed in the scent of her, sweet and youthful. He purred as she pushed herself against him, wriggling against where their bodies met. He prodded into her mind, caressing it sweetly. Her thoughts poured into his mind lazily.

" _What are you thinking about?"_

" _ **You."**_

" _Only good things, I hope."_

" _ **What else? Just thinking about how perfectly you fit against me."**_

" _I bet you were thinking about something else. You're just trying to make me feel nice now."_ Vlad laughed, the sound smooth and low in Seras' ear.

" _ **Perhaps you're right. But you should sleep, draga mea. Remember, you want to be awake early for the funeral."**_

" _Oh."_ Seras' inner voice seemed to be crestfallen, slow and listless. _"Right. Alright then. You'll be here when I wake up?"_

" _ **I will."**_

" _Ok."_ Seras wriggled against him once more, getting fully comfortable. In no time, Vlad felt his fiancée's mind drift off to sleep, and he followed.

* * *

Seras woke up to the sound of men talking near her. She listened before opening her eyes.

"Are you really going with her?"

"Yes."

"But won't that be a bit… awkward?"

"How so?"

"Integra was your master. For years, you had to listen to her, do as she told you. Now she's dead, and no doubt people will want to point the finger at you."

"Well, considering Seras killed the one who actually murdered Integra, I don't think their claims would be very substantiated. Do you?"

"I'm not sure."

"Certainly you aren't accusing me of anything, are you, Captain Bernadotte?"

"Nothing at all, _Alucard._ " At the sound of Vlad's deep laughter, Seras rose from the bed, giving no hint that she had been listening. "Well, looks like sleeping beauty is finally up." Pip was leaning against the door, facing Seras. He smiled at her, cigarette hanging from his mouth. Seras smiled back, rubbing her eyes. She stretched and walked to Vlad as he sat at the table. He didn't bother turning around as she wrapped her arms around his neck. She placed a small kiss on his cheek.

"Good morning!"

"Good evening." She leaned over his shoulder to look into his face.

"How long have you two been up?"

"Your boyfriend there got me up about an hour ago. I don't know how long he's been up." Pip sighed and threw his head back yawning. "As you can see, I'm still tired."

"You should have slept while Seras and I were out last night, instead of waiting. But, it's too late for that now." Vlad grinned as he teased the Frenchman. Pip replied only with what Seras assumed was cursing. "How rude of him. Can you believe that, Seras?"

"If I understood French I might. Was he insulting you?"

"He was."

"Then I'm sure it's a correct statement, whatever it was." Vlad scoffed before speaking once more, changing the topic to that of the funeral.

"You should get dressed. There's only about fifteen minutes before it starts, and people are already arriving."

"What?! Why didn't either of you wake me up!" _Bloody idiots!_ Vlad shrugged.

"It really doesn't matter what time you go." _Yes, it does. Just because you don't care doesn't mean I don't._

"Get out, then." Vlad turned to her with wide eyes.

"Why?" She walked over to her closet.

"Because I need to get dressed."

"We've both seen you naked Seras. Don't be such a prude." She felt her eye twitching as she exhaled a slow breath.

"Get out! I don't care if you bloody tossers have seen me naked, when I want privacy, _**I get it.**_ Now, out!" Pip nodded quickly and phased out of the room, while Vlad chuckled. He walked over to her and stroked her cheek.

"Already acting like a queen. Well," he walked to the door, "as you wish." Seras rolled her eyes as she rested her hands on the closet door.

 _How am I supposed to get through today? This is going to be so hard. Try not to cry today, Seras. Just… Try. Say what you need to say, feel what you need to feel, and leave. That's it. Don't linger; it'll only hurt more. Just get dressed, and go through the motions._ She raised her head and opened her eyes, opening the closet and picking out the long-sleeved dress she had reserved for funerals. Over the years, she had been to many, and that dress had seen her through them. By now, it was like a close friend, the soft fabric there for her in her dire times of pain or need. _I suppose you're to me what comfort food is to humans._

After pulling the dress on, she moved over to the mirror on her vanity. She stroked the wood of it, remembering Integra's face when she gave it to her. She smiled softly before looking at her face. She put smooth lines of inky liner on her lids, followed by equally dark mascara. With her eyes outlined, she fixed her messy hair, smoothing it down so it framed her face. She stared at her reflection until she began to hate it. Until she began to see memories of her friend play before her eyes. Until she began to cry and her makeup ran down, the inky blackness mixing with her crimson tears.

She cleaned her face and replaced the lost makeup. After a moment, she breathed in deep and pulled on her boots. They looked a bit out of place with the outfit, but Seras didn't care about that. She was ready, and she left her room with her heart guarded, locked up tight.

Outside of her room, Vlad stood against a wall, waiting for her. Pip was there as well, attempting to fix a tie around his neck. "How do you fix this damn thing? Why did you even make me put it on?" Pip was also in a formal suit, fitting for a funeral. Vlad was dressed as always, a charcoal suit perfectly tailored to his body. He no longer seemed to wear his signature crimson coat or hat, instead choosing to wear only the cravat in his signature blood-red shade.

As Seras looked at him, she realized that he looked solemn, but not distressed, nor upset like she was. He looked more so cold, nearly emotionless. He resembled a statue in his stillness, until he noticed Seras standing in front of him. He gave her a soft smile and Seras hoped her cheeks weren't stained red from her tears. She gave him a small 'hey' before moving over to Pip to help him with his tie.

"Honestly, Pip. 30 years of weddings, funerals, and formal parties and you still can't tie one of these? You're just an overgrown child, I swear."

"You love having to tie my ties." Seras cocked her head, testing the evenness of the tie. Satisfied, she spoke.

"Maybe you're right. Or maybe I'm just waiting for the day to choke you as I fix it." Pip laughed. Seras turned to Vlad. She could feel the energy of living people surging through the air, hear the closing of car doors and the crunching of dirt under shoes. She sighed. "There sounds like a lot of people outside." He shrugged.

"Less than fifty." Seras smiled.

"There's a lot of numbers between one and fifty." He came over to her, placing his hands on her shoulder.

"It doesn't matter how many people have come, or who they are, Seras. It only matters that you're going to be there. That's all that counts."

"I guess." She looked away for a moment before sighing again. "Well, let's go."

* * *

The walk to the graveyard was harrowing, each step inducing shards of Seras' heart to crack further. She wasted as much time as she could, walking slowly. She knew that Vlad wanted to get it over with quickly though. Pip and Vlad were having a conversation while Seras was silent, having an internal conversation of her own.

 _It was my fault. I should have noticed Bathory there. I should have protected her better. That was my job! Protecting her was my damn job and I failed. This is all my fault. Every single death. If only I were awake sooner, I would have been able to prevent all the destruction. If only I were a better vampire. A better person. A better soldier, a better friend. God, I regret so much._

They made their way to the graveyard, and Seras saw people she recognized. She saw family members of the people that had died during Bathory's attack. She saw people Integra had worked with. She almost didn't want to go any closer, but she did. There was a priest reading passages from the bible, his voice loud and solid. Seras didn't want to see the headstone. She didn't want to see words carved onto it. She didn't want to really accept that Integra was gone. But she still moved her feet until she was a part of the crowd. Vlad stayed back, choosing to stand under the shade of a tree.

The dim sunlight was blocked by a heavily clouded sky. The greyness of the world mimicked how Seras felt inside - numb. She listened to the priest's words as she looked to the ground.

"Integra Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing. The last of an era. She fought for God and lived for God. She died for God. She protected and served and lived a glorious life. Now, she stands behind Heaven's Gates, joining her other fallen members of God's armies." Seras listened on in pained silence as the priest spoke of Integra.

* * *

The speaking went on for what seemed to be hours, until the man finally finished off with a bible verse. "The lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name's sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the lord forever. Amen." Candles were lit around her grave, the striking of matches loud in the silence. Seras finally looked up.

She saw it. The dark marble reflecting the flames of candles, the words carved deep into the stone. She mouthed them as she read them. " _Here lies Sir Integra Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing. Head of the Convention of Twelve. Leader of the Hellsing Organization. Beloved and never forgotten. 1977-2029. In the name of God, rest in peace."_ She breathed in sharply, eyes stinging with tears. After a few moments, the priest left. She made her way up to the grave and placed her hand on it, feeling the cold stone against her own cold flesh. She bit her lip. People started leaving, and a few mumbled condolences to her. She thanked them, her eyes never leaving the grave.

She felt herself about to break down when somebody stood next to her. The person spoke to Seras, their tone low and hesitant. "I would say that I'm sorry for your loss, Seras Victoria, but I feel that statement has been used too much on you. But I truly am sorry. For your pain, that is." Seras recognized the voice but couldn't believe her senses until she looked up to find her enemy, Heinkel Wolfe standing next to her.

The girl looked almost as sad as Seras, even when she smiled at the vampire. "What are you doing here, Heinkel? I don't feel like fighting." Heinkel chuckled humorlessly, shaking her head.

"No, I'm not here for a fight. I'm here to mourn. You protestants may be heathens, but you still try to serve the lord. And Integra, well, she fought to the death. And you fought for her. I have great respect for you, as well as Integra. When I heard about her death, well, I thought of you."

"Of me?"

"Well, first I assumed that one of you vampires killed her. But when I found out that _you_ killed _her_ killer, I could feel your pain. Or, at least, the pain I imagined you might feel. You see," the German woman turned more to Seras, "back when Millennium attacked, I lost someone very close to me. She tried to fight that man, Walter. He sliced her apart, like she was nothing." Heinkel's voice was bitter. "I wanted so badly to avenge her, to destroy the monster that killed her. But I couldn't.

I never got the chance to fight for Yumiko. But you, Seras, you did. We both lost somebody we never wanted to lose, but you killed in her name, you got revenge. I wish I did. I miss her so much. We were supposed to do so much, see so much together. After all the fights we'd been in, all the monsters we had killed together, she gets killed that easily? It was all wrong. She should have had a longer life." Seras listened on in awe - awe that her enemy was confiding in her this way. She decided to confide as well.

"I just feel so… numb. Empty, almost. It hurts thinking about her, about everything we did, everything we _could have done._ It feels like ice water pouring over me every time somebody mentions her. I don't know what I'm going to do. Everybody dies, while I… I just keep on living." Heinkel nodded.

"The numbness, it goes away. It turns into other things though; anger, sadness. But the pain, the pain will never really leave. You'll just learn how to deal with it. I still remember the sound of her body hitting the ground, every piece of her."

"I should have done something. I should have noticed what was going to happen. I should have been better. I-"

"No. You can't do that. Seras, you did what you could. You destroyed the person who took Integra's life. That was what you should have done, and you did. You can't look back on it like that. You can't…" Heinkel looked towards the grave.

"Why are you doing this? Why are you being so kind to me? You could fight me and I wouldn't bother fighting back. You could even kill me."

"No I couldn't. We both know that your power _before_ drinking your master's blood was much greater than mine, and now that you _have_ drank the blood? My power won't even compare. And I'm doing this because I know what it feels like. As an enemy, I care about you. I want to be the thing to destroy you, not anything else." Seras laughed lightly at Heinkel's grin. "The rest of Iscariot didn't come because, honestly, they were more interested in celebrating. Just between the two of us, I don't believe that Integra went to hell. They do, but I don't. She was a good woman, and though we were on different sides, I can recognize that. It might be a sin for me to say this, but I don't believe that you will go there either."

"Really? But isn't that the whole point of our relationship? You try to get rid of the plague that I belong to, and send my soul to the fires of hell? Oh, that is, if I have a soul." Heinkel laughed, the sound the closest to happy that Seras had ever heard from her.

"You no longer work for Hellsing. I'm no longer required to start anything with you. So technically, unless you start causing scenes or killing on Catholic soil, I don't have to do that anymore. As much as I enjoyed it." Seras smiled softly towards the young woman. She grabbed one of her hands and held it gently. Heinkel didn't pull away. "You may not want it, but you have my sympathies." Heinkel's eyes flicked to where Vlad stood under a tree. "How does _that one_ feel about everything?" Seras didn't need to look to him to know who Heinkel was referencing.

"I don't really think he does. He's seen so much death, I think it doesn't even phase him anymore. She was his master, and now he's free, so I guess he might even be a little glad. I know that it's not malicious though. If Integra hadn't died, he wouldn't have done the things he has for me, with me. He wouldn't have proposed or even said he loves me. Things work out the way they do for a reason."

"So you're marrying Dracula? The king of monsters has found a new bride. The two of you will be powerful. I doubt even all of Iscariot would be able to take you two down. Maybe the world will find a new order, after all." Seras sighed.

"Oh, I don't know anything about that." Heinkel took her hand from Seras' slowly. She looked into the vampire's eyes.

"This is goodbye then, vampire." Seras nodded slowly, returning the friendly smile Heinkel gave her.

"Goodbye, Heinkel."

* * *

Vlad watched as Heinkel walked away and into a car outside of the graveyard. Seras stayed in place in front of the headstone. Pip stood near him and whispered.

"Do you think she was telling the truth?"

"I don't know. You two know her much better than I do."

"Well do you think Seras is alright?"

"Just give her a moment. When she's ready, she'll come over here." It took several minutes, and the heavy downfall of rain, to make Seras walk to her fiancée and familiar under the trees. Her hair was drenched, her dress stuck to her body.

"Well, that was something I never want to do again." She smiled towards the men, but both of them could see the pain behind it.

"And you won't have to," Vlad said, "you don't have to do anything that you don't want to." She nodded, pushing her body against his, arms wrapping around his neck.

"I know. Thank you." Pip ruffled Seras' hair.

"Is there anything you need?" She sighed against Vlad before turning to Pip.

"No. But I do _want_ to do something."

"What would that be?"

"Operation 17." Pip's eyes widened.

"Really? What about last time?"

"Last time was 5 years ago! I want to do it. Let's go out and gather supplies." Seras narrowed her eyes as she smiled to the man.

"If that's what you want to do, then I guess we can do it," Pip said, in between quiet laughter. Vlad looked between the two, trying to understand what they were talking about. With Seras still in his arms, he asked her.

"What are you two talking about?" Seras craned her neck to look up at him.

"Operation 17 is when we go out and buy 17 of the biggest packages of sweets that we can find. Then, we come back and Pip gets to choose what I eat, and in what order. It's some silly thing that we started doing a couple decades ago."

"That sounds horrible." Vlad wrinkled his nose.

"Well, everything tastes good for a moment. And then I can keep reliving that moment with every bite."

"Whatever you want to do, you can."

* * *

Seras and Pip walked through the aisles of the supermarket, filling the cart with giant packages of chocolate, ice cream and cakes. They made fun of the people they saw, the kinds of food flavors there were, read cheap tabloids and burned time in London. Seras drove them, wanting to enjoy the sights. They left Vlad at home, despite him wanting to come along. Seras knew he wouldn't have much fun at the bright grocery store.

They had finally gotten 17 of the most delicious looking sweets they could find and checked out. With everything shoved into the car, Pip sat in the passenger seat. "Why can't I drive?"

"Because if you get pulled over, it will be a lot harder for me to hypnotize the cop from where you're sitting now."

"I never get to drive."

"Did you ever even have a license?"

"I… Well- that doesn't matter! I know how." _And I know how force you back into my head, but I'm not doing that right now either._

"It does matter. No. It's only like 15 minutes to get back home if we go fast, so stop whining." Pip sighed and slumped back in his seat. He crossed his arms, placing his feet on the dashboard. He started mocking her, moving on to French. "Dammit Pip, one of these days I'm going to learn that bloody language, and then you won't be able to get away with… with whatever it is you're saying!"

She hit the gas harshly, slamming her foot down on the pedal. The car slammed forward quickly, sending Pip banging against the windshield and dashboard. He glared at her as he shouted. Seras laughed as she drove. She flipped her hair back. "I'm not kidding Pip, I will."

* * *

Vlad held Seras' hair as she vomited. She had eaten nearly everything without throwing up until then. She threw up every bite, and Vlad kneeled down, her blonde hair in a hand, his other rubbing her back. He purred into her ear things to calm her down, though he wasn't sure if they were working since the only sounds from her throat were gagging noises.

"Why… Why did I do this?" she cried out in between sessions of vomiting. Vlad smiled and continued to soothe her.

"Because you're an idiot. Haven't we already gone over this?" She nodded, catching her breath.

"Many times." He kissed her head.

"Are you finished?" After a moment of silence, she nodded. "All right, come on." He picked her up roughly, bringing her out of the bathroom as the toilet flushed. He sat her on the bed after pushing the pile of wrappers from it. Seras immediately curled up in the bed, and Vlad turned to Pip.

"What? She wanted to do it." The vampire shook his head.

"You're not sleeping in the bed again."

"Am I a dog now?"

"No, a dog is worth more. Now go away." Pip gave a mocking 'ooh' before phasing into the blonde Draculina's head. Vlad sighed and turned the lights out.

"Oh, that's much better," Seras called from the bed.

"Isn't it?" He got into bed next to her, leaning his head on hers.

"I'm never doing that again."

"Do you want something to get the taste out of your mouth?" Seras nodded slowly and Vlad kissed her forehead. Vlad swiftly bit his own wrist, bringing it down to Seras' mouth. His savory blood poured into her mouth, filling her senses. Once again, a flood of memories entered her as well, and she watched on in awe.

She saw Vlad dealing with a teenaged Integra, his annoyance at all of her petty requests. She seemed to enjoy making him do anything and everything she could. No matter how many times he threatened her, she held her own. With every sip of his blood, Seras felt her body vibrating, every atom in her being coming to life with excitement. Her hunger grew despite herself, and Vlad had to gruffly command her to stop.

She removed her fangs from his flesh and looked up at him, her eyes wide and swimming with lusty hunger. He met her eyes and grinned. "Are you trying to make me hard? Because it's working." The Draculina gave a flirty smile, eyes twinkling. She looked away from her mate, turning away from him. "Oh, what are you doing now, _little one?_ "

Vlad wrapped his arms around the small blonde, claws digging into her soft flesh. She cooed in approval of his roughness, but continued her teasing. He pushed his face deep in the crook of her neck, nipping at it. "I'm not fond of games, but if you wish to play some…" He chuckled against her ear. Before she knew it, Seras had been pinned to the mattress by Vlad's shadows, though she couldn't see him.

"Vlad?" She laughed despite herself as dark tendrils began tickling her as they stroked her softly. "Where are you?" She heard his deep humming around the room, but his physical body wasn't there. "If you intend on doing something demented to me, I won't enjoy it!" _Depends on what it is, though._ She tested the strength of his shadows, thrashing her limbs as hard as she could. Even her own shadows were defenseless against his.

"You know, I would teach you how to match my strength, but I don't think it would be much fun to try to gain dominance over an equal." Seras growled as her legs were spread, Vlad's form coming to rest between them. He sat, his head resting on folded hands. His grin stretched across his face, eyes bright. "Oh, don't worry." He traced lazy patterns on her stomach and she writhed under his cold touch. "I will help you get stronger. Just not as strong as me." A small wink was sent her way and she scoffed.

"I'm sorry to inform you, _Master,"_ Seras spat his former title at him, and he gave a small 'ooh' in return, "but you hold no dominance over me at all. I might even grow to get stronger than you. How about that?" He continued to grin, hand slipping under her silken nightshirt. His nails scraped against her flesh in the most delicious way and she purred.

"I might believe that… If you were actually _trying_ to get out of this." Seras felt herself blush, blood rushing to her cheeks as she averted her eyes from his grinning face. "Oh, Seras… So sweet, so innocent. It's strange how different I think we are, and then I learn just another thing we have in common. You're so much more than you seem to be on the outside, even before I left. Your thoughts were always intriguing to me. Even when you would try and fight yourself on drinking blood." He sighed deeply, breath warm against her chilly flesh. "You were so young then, yet so experienced in pain and suffering. I thought it was rather endearing, you know; the parallels between your innocent appearance and tortured past." He narrowed his eyes as he laughed. "Oh, what am I saying? I sound ridiculous, don't I? Besides, you don't want to _hear_ anything right now, do you? No, you want to _feel_."

Her eyes shot back to the vampire between her legs as he licked his lips. She writhed, hips moving back and forth as he pulled her top up above her breasts. Her wrists tested the strength of the shadows holding them once more, trying to push their way out of the hold. She had no such luck, instead slumping back on the bed and sighing. The air was chilly to her exposed breasts, nipples forming hard peaks as her lover toyed with them.

"You're so easy to please. It's nice; takes away the pressure. But… You're even easier to tease." At that, Seras felt his hot tongue slide over one of the aching buds, warmth making her shiver. A light moan escaped her lips involuntarily and Vlad laughed against her. "See what I mean?" She could hear the grin in his words, even as her eyes rolled back in pleasure. As he suckled on one of her breasts, he kneaded the other one. His long nails scraped the sensitive flesh of it, and Seras arched her back.

Her hips began to roll against the man on top of her, and his own returned the motion. She could feel his hard manhood, separated only by thin pieces of fabric. She rubbed against him as best she could, her now throbbing sex gaining little bursts of pleasure when she arched up at a certain angle. His mouth now moved between her breasts, truly teasing her. She moaned in protest, but he paid her no mind. _Christ, this is so good. But I want him. I want him to fuck me, be inside me… Fuck! I need him,_ _ **now!**_

"Please, oh god, please stop! This is torture!" A chuckle came as his teeth slipped across one of the soft mounds, cutting the flesh of it. She hissed, the sudden sting mingling with the prominent pleasure and arousal.

"Oh, Seras. You haven't any idea what _real_ torture is… But I suppose I'll do as you wish." She watched as he licked a smudge of red away from his lips before bringing them to her own. His lips were warm and wet against her dry, trembling ones. She forced her mouth on his viciously, teeth nipping him every so often. He pushed back with rivaling intensity, tongue making its way to play with hers.

The muscles mingled hungrily with one another, his traveling far into her mouth. She sucked on it, eliciting a small moan from him in reward. Suddenly, she bit down on it. The moan grew louder, throatier as his hands gripped her waist hard. His nails dug into her flesh and she felt blood trail down her body. Shadows licked at the crimson fluid, the feeling not unlike small kisses. She let go of his tongue, and he brought it back into his mouth after giving her lips a strong lick. She opened her eyes to find Vlad grinning down at her. He closed his eyes as he breathed in deeply. As he opened them, he sighed lustfully.

"My god, Seras. The mere scent of you could drive a man insane. I don't know who I'm making want it more; you, or me?" He chuckled as he brought his face close to hers.

"I always want you," Seras' voice was shaky with excitement. Vlad's eyes narrowed. He bit his lip.

"And I, you." Leaning up on his knees, he had shadows strip him of his clothing. He was bare, and Seras ate up the view hungrily. His body was marvelous, no matter how many times she saw it, that same thought came to her mind. She briefly wondered if his body had been the same way when he was human, but came to the conclusion that it would have been. _Maybe even better, who knows?_ He licked his lips once more before peeling her knickers off. Well, he ripped them to shreds with his sharp claws. Seras laughed as she eagerly awaited his touch. He brought a finger to toy with her slick folds, teasing her entrance before leaning down and running his tongue over them.

He hummed at the sweet taste of her, relishing it as he sat up and ran his hands over her slender body. Every curve set his nerves on fire, every shallow breath and moan she gave making his body ache for release. Seras begged for his length, her words fervent and needy. But Vlad wasn't ready. He decided to give her something, however. He summoned a shadow and used it, after all – they were just expended parts of himself. He could _feel_ everything the same way he would as if he was making love to her, yet it was different.

Seras panted and writhed as the shadow worked her sex. It slid in and out smoothly, eagerly. Smoky tendrils stroked her thighs, her clit as their main source fucked her. She clenched around it, enjoying every second of the cool sensation inside her. Outside of her, Vlad nibbled and suckled on her body; her stomach, her chest, her neck. He planted small kisses along her jaw line, along her neck, everywhere. This sent goosebumps over her sensitive flesh. He whispered foreign words against her body as his hands gripped and groped at her. Her body was vibrating, head swimming as she felt herself nearing the edge.

Seconds away from release, all sensation left her body. The shadows retreated from their lovemaking and joined with the others swimming around the room. She opened her lust-shut eyes and looked around urgently. She felt her womanhood nearly screaming in protest at the lack of touch. She found Vlad lying next to her, content smile playing on his lips and lust-filled eyes. Those eyes narrowed as hers caught them.

"I didn't want you to finish yet."

"Well, don't you think that's a bit rude?" She squirmed around on the bed, body heavy and needy for caresses. Vlad laughed.

"I'm going to give you a choice." _Damn it, just fuck me! Christ, Vlad, you're horrible!_ She panted. "You can be on top, or I can." She didn't reply. Vlad leaned in close to her face. "Choose."

"What does it matter?"

"It does. Two seconds or I pick." _Wait, what?_

"Wha-"

"Alright, you're on top then." He grinned at her as her body was lifted onto his. She landed, straddling his waist with hands on his chest. Her eyes opened wide and he laughed. "What? I told you to choose." She growled at him until he rocked his hips against her, manhood pushing roughly against her own, slick, sex. She moaned throatily and he bit his lip. Seras leaned down to lick at the blood falling from his bite, and as she did so, she slid herself up his length. "Oh… Fuck." His hands grabbed at her back as she continued to slide along his cock. Several seconds passed before she threw her head back, blonde hair flying with the movement, and brought her entrance to the top of him. As sudden as the movement, she took him inside her.

She slowly made her way along his length, his pleasured hissing coupling her high moans. His hands slipped from her back to grab her ass, leaving deep cuts in her milky flesh. He held onto her backside for several thrusts, before moving his hands to grab ahold of her hips. He held onto them as he pushed inside her. Each hard stroke gaining deeper access, eliciting hungry groans from his lover. He watched as her face became a mask of pure ecstasy, sure that his own matched. The sounds they made filled the room, and more than likely, the hall.

Vlad could feel himself coming close to the peak as the minutes passed by. His head was light and his chest was tight, heavy with pleasure. His nerves were on fire now, burning with passion and lust. His body was hot and his thrusts grew faster. Seras cried out in pleasure as he did so, falling down on him. She grabbed his chest hard, nails going into him. He growled as the sudden pain hit him. It was not disliked, however.

In a mere instant, Vlad thrusted and Seras felt herself coming apart. Her body suddenly went limp as she lost control. She laid on Vlad's chest, grabbing his shoulders as she came. It burst inside of her, but he kept going, furthering her orgasm. Soon after, he pushed past the edge as well, cumming with a final thrust. He sat motionless underneath her, cock enjoying the quivering and rapid clenching of her sex as it seemed to milk him. His breath was quick, and he gave a low moan as he finished. Seras was still giving small, quiet coos against him. He bit his lip and held onto her quivering body as he panted.

"I love you," he whispered into the air. Seras heard it and kissed his chest, a nonverbal reply. He gave a small smile and Seras lifted her shaky body up from his. As she left his body, he gave a moan of disapproval, not wanting the warmth of her body to leave his.

Seras landed next to him, panting and shaking. Her vision was blurry from her orgasm, and she closed her eyes. She pulled the blanket up around her and felt Vlad curl around her form. She snuggled him, enjoying the feel. Both of their bodies vibrated against each other, their purring seemingly coming from one source between the two. "I love you too," she said.

Vlad kissed her head, allowing his shadows to come back to him. He felt himself drift into a restful sleep, moments later. Seras followed suit, her head resting against his as she slept.

* * *

The blaring of her alarm clock woke her up. _It seems like it's been ages since I've heard your annoying beeping._ She blindly swung her arms about until she realized that it had been moved. She groaned as she stood, swinging her legs over the edge of her bed. She walked with her eyes closed until she finally hit the correct button to turn it off. She opened her eyes slowly and noticed that Vlad was gone. "Why doesn't that bastard ever tell me when he leaves? It's rude." She sighed as she turned on the bedroom light. "Oh, as if he cares." As she looked down, she noticed she was wearing his shirt. She smiled, playing with the bagginess of it.

Looking at her clock, she realized that it was 9 pm. She got dressed, almost mistakenly grabbing her Hellsing uniform. She froze as her fingertips brushed the crimson fabric. After a few seconds, she moved on to grabbing a simple tank top and shorts. She moved to her vanity, grabbing a clean pair of knickers and a bra, before moving to the bathroom to take a quick shower.

As the hot water poured over her body, she felt a brief stinging as it touched the scratches her fiancé had made hours before. She smiled at the sensation though. She washed her body with a fruity soap, and smothered her hair in a matching shampoo. She hummed to herself, the smell pleasant to her as it filled the steamy room. _I wonder what Vlad wants to do tonight. I know that he wanted to talk about what we do now, after Integra's funeral. Does he still want to? If we leave, go somewhere else, will we live normal lives? Or does he want to return to the life of a king? I don't know if I want to live like that, or if I even_ _ **can**_ _. I don't think I'd want to. But if he wants to… who am I to deny him of it? He's lived for so long not getting what he wanted, he deserves something._ Shampoo poured into her mouth and she spat it out quickly. _I think I just want to live as normal a life as I can. Make friends, go to parties, act like a normal human being. Or maybe I just_ _ **think**_ _I want it, because I've never had it. Vlad hasn't either, and I don't think he wants one. I don't think he even knows what 'normal' is! He's a twisted, psychotic, bloodthirsty vampire. How could he be normal? Hell… How could_ _ **I**_ _be normal?_

With the last of the conditioner she'd hastily applied to her strands washed out, she turned the shower off. She stepped out, shaking some drops off before her shadows turned into a towel around her body. The shadows quickly sucked up all the water on her, leaving her dry. She took her time with her clothes, not feeling as though she were in any rush.

Fully clothed, she walked out from the bathroom and stretched. The cool air of her bedroom hit her like a wall and she blinked. Yawning, she made her way to her vanity. Fixing her fluffy hair, she put on a generous coat of mascara and stood. "I might as well see what everybody is up to, huh?" She pursed her lips before shrugging and sliding on her boots.

* * *

She walked slowly throughout the halls, her body still aching slightly. _It's a good pain, though. It's nice._ She followed her senses to her mate in the garden outside of the mansion. He turned to her as she sat next to him on the bench, like months before. He gave her a smile that she returned.

"Why do you never wake me up when you leave?" He hummed and placed a hand on her bare thigh.

"You look so sweet as you sleep. I don't like waking you up." _Awe. That's sweet._ She smiled.

"Then," she closed the small distance between them, "why don't you just keep sleeping with me?"

"Trust me, the thought has crossed my mind." She leaned her head on his broad shoulder and sighed.

"Well, what are you doing out here?" He stroked her shoulder.

"Oh, I'm just thinking." Her fingers played on his hand.

"About what?"

"Do you want to go with me to my homeland?" She closed her eyes as her brow furrowed.

"When?"

"I want to go as soon as possible, but only if you go with me." _Why me?_ "Because you're my fiancée. You're my mate. You're _my_ queen, but you're going to be the queen of our kind. I want to show you off, is that wrong?" Seras laughed, not minding the quick intrusion of her thoughts.

"No, I suppose not." She sighed. "I… I'm not sure. I want to go with you, but… I'm worried."

"About what? You can protect yourself, but if the need arises, I'll protect you. Nothing will happen to you."

"It's not that, it's just… Oh, I don't know. I've never been out of the country. And that far away? I'll do something wrong." Vlad laughed.

"Seras, you have the strangest worries. Nobody would even dare question you if you did happen to do something 'wrong'."

"I'm not going to understand anything anybody is saying."

"That's fine. It just means I can speak to other women without you knowing." Seras growled at him. "Don't worry. I won't do it in front of you."

"Vlad, if you ever do something like that, I'll kill her and then you."

"Ooh! Feisty! I like that. I'll teach you Romanian, don't fret."

"Thank you."

"So that means you will come with me?" She sighed.

"Well… Yes, I guess I will. How would we get there?"

"Plane, then train, then we'll ride."

"So, like in the book? So, Stoker was right, you would rather make other people take you somewhere instead of just fly like a bird?"

"You've actually read that pathetic thing?"

"Oh, yes. And I've seen every single Dracula movie. Every. Single. One. The world seemed to get into a vampire craze in the past few decades. Just so you know, nearly everybody who's played you in a movie has been rather fit."

"Mm, that makes me feel absolutely blissful."

"Vlad, have you even seen a movie?"

"I've seen a few."

"Which ones? What were their names?"

"Well, I don't remember."

"Ooh!" She shot up to look at him. "Have you seen Cannibal Holocaust?"

"What?"

"It's a film. It's been banned all over the place because of the violence in it. What about the Guinea Pig series? Super gory movies. Great. I actually almost threw up during one." She grinned like a madwoman towards him.

"Seras, do you really feel a need to watch films like that when you can just go out and rip people apart for yourself?" She shrugged.

"They're all the fun and only half the mess, if you don't puke." Vlad laughed.

"Seras, you're ridiculous."

"Oh, well. Oh! When did you want to leave England?"

"There's a plane scheduled to stop in Romania tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?! What time does the plane leave?"

"We need to get on by 10 am."

"Oh, god. Do you expect me to stay in a coffin the whole time, too?" He chuckled.

"No, of course not. You're much stronger now. Though, you will need to bring it." He paused for a moment. "You really want to come?" Seras smiled brightly at him.

"Of course I do. Why wouldn't I?"

"I just didn't expect for you to want to go, so easily."

"What, did you plan on forcing me?"

"If you said no," he smirked at her. She laughed.

"Then I suppose I should pack?"

"Yes, you should."

"What about Vincent and Catrina?" He nodded.

"They're coming as well. I'll speak to them tonight."

"Alright. I'll go get things ready then." She leaned in for a small kiss before heading back to the mansion. Vlad was left sitting on the stone bench in a haze of pleased confusion.

He looked up to the sky as he thought things over. _Well, that was easy. Perhaps… too easy? Is she really going to go this easily? Should I be pleased right now, or worried? No, you're overthinking it. She just wants to go with you. There's nothing else to it. Perhaps she's been thinking about it, herself. In any case, I'm glad I don't have to force her to go. Perhaps things are going to work out well. No, something is going to go wrong. I will never have happiness for long. I can't._

* * *

Seras took a few travel bags from her closet and began putting clothes into them. She packed away every article in her closet, including her red uniforms. She peeled photographs off of her wall and packed those away carefully. She sighed as she put in everything she wanted. It wasn't as if she needed much, or even had much. She'd never been one for collecting items, though she had been tempted by many a good looking gun before.

She zipped up those bags, one full and one half full. She looked over to the large vanity and wished she could bring it. "It's not as if I'm never coming back. I'll come back to get you." She gave a small smile as her fingers ran over the smooth wood. She suddenly got the idea to phase into Integra's room. She picked up a few items; a photograph of the two of them, a book she had on the dresser, and then a perfume. The perfume was a subtle jasmine scent, and sent chills of longing throughout her. She phased back down into her own room to pack up those things, and was greeted by Pip looking at the bags curiously.

"What're these?" She moved past him to pack up Integra's belongings. She looked to him.

"We're going to Romania."

"Oh? Really? You agreed?" She shrugged.

"Vlad needs to do what he needs to do. I'll support him and go with him. I was just thinking about it earlier, and I _do_ want to go, it's just that I'm not too excited to meet other vampires." Pip nodded.

"How are we getting there?"

"All sorts of ways. Plane mostly."

"Oh, so I'll be sleeping," he laughed. Seras nodded.

"I'll tell you about the ride. We're leaving tomorrow."

"Everything's so sudden with him," Pip shook his head. Seras sighed in agreement. "And you just decided to say yes? Did he ask you, or tell you?"

"Pip, he's not my master anymore. He can't tell me to do anything. He asked me."

"Yes, but I'm sure he would've just made you go anyway." Seras paused to consider his words.

"You're probably right. But I want to go."

"Well, if you want to go, I want to go." Seras smiled at her familiar as he smiled back. She felt a change in the air and recognized it as Vlad coming near. She felt her heart flutter in excitement and pulled the bags from her bed to the floor. She fell backwards on it and sighed. Seconds later, Vlad walked through a wall of her room.

"Why don't you ever use doors?" Seras called out, her eyes closed.

"I don't need to. Neither do you, but you choose to." A weight landed on the bed. "Is everything you own in those bags?" he laughed, a finger trailing on her stomach.

"Nearly. I don't own much. What about you? Are you packed?"

"Mm. I am."

"Where did you put everything?"

"In my coffin." Seras laughed at his words.

"Your coffin?" Vlad laughed with her.

"What? I don't need to use it. We're going to my homeland. I won't need any soil in it while we're there."

"I guess that makes sense."

" _You_ will though."

"That's such an idiotic aspect of being a vampire. Why is that even a thing? It makes no sense." Vlad laughed and she opened her eyes. "What? I'm being serious, Vlad! It's illogical. If I want to go somewhere, I'm supposed to lay in a box of dirt while I'm there? Doesn't make a girl feel pretty."

"Seras, you think too much."

"I'm dead, what else am I supposed to do? You're always thinking."

"Yes, but not necessarily for the best." Pip finally spoke up as Seras began to play with Vlad's hair.

"I've been to Romania before, you know." Seras' head snapped to him.

"You have?" He nodded. "To do what?" The ghostly man shrugged.

"Mercenary stuff. I don't even remember why, it was so easy. All I know is that it was very… green."

"I haven't been there in centuries." Vlad looked into the distance blankly for a moment before snapping back to attention. Seras stroked his cheek. He smiled down at her. "And now, I get to go back with my love." She felt herself blush and cleared her throat.

"How are we even supposed to get there? Vincent is the only one with a real passport, I doubt we can get through all of the excessive security without causing a scene. I just-"

"Seras, you don't need to worry. You're a vampire. Certainly you have no issue with hypnotizing whoever we need to, right?"

"I suppose not, but-"

"But nothing. You act like such a human sometimes." She sighed and looked away.

"Maybe you need to act more human."

"I wouldn't know how to." Seras hummed and turned her head back to him.

"I like you as a vampire anyway." Vlad smiled at Seras and she returned it. Pip shuffled in his seat.

"What if we go there, right, and there's nothing there for you? What if everything you left behind is in ruins? What then?" Vlad cocked his head, eyes still on Seras. He was silent for a moment, thinking, before he spoke.

"Then I suppose I'll just have to rebuild my empire, now won't I?"

"Literally or metaphorically?" The Count smirked.

"Both." He leaned down to kiss Seras on the forehead. "With my queen."

"How do you know that somebody hasn't replaced you in your absence? I mean, people thought you were dead for decades," she spoke without thinking. Realizing how her words could have been taking as an insult, she backtracked. "Well, not that anybody _could_ replace you, I mean, I don't know. But what if you have been replaced? I don't know anything about vampire politics or anything, so I wouldn't know." He seemed to consider her words though, eyes narrowed and lips pursed.

"Hm… If that _is_ the case, I'll just have to kill whoever has taken my place. Assert my dominance and reassure everybody of my power and position. It should be no trouble at all, no matter how strong they are. Anybody who dares to think that they can take my place will have to answer to me. I hadn't thought of that, honestly. You may have a point…" He moved to lay on his side, hand playing along Seras' flesh as he thought.

She looked to Pip to find him sitting with his head tipped, hat nearly falling off as he slept. She looked back to her mate to find him mouthing silent words as he stared into the distance. "Well, I was just thinking out loud. I'm sure that's not the case." He nodded slowly, thoughts not diverged by her words.

"Even so, sometimes your mindless droning makes sense." Seras glared at the man and his fingertips brushed against her inner thigh. She shivered involuntarily, drawing his attention back to her. He realized where his hand was, and smirked. "Ah, I'm sorry. I hadn't even realized what I was doing." He continued stroking her leg, this time leaning close to her face. As he spoke, his lips tickled hers. "Is it bothering you?" She laughed lightly, eyes focused on his. She shook her head, readjusting herself. As she shifted her body, his hand was forced to lay between her thighs. His eyes narrowed and a spark of lust shot through them. A low growl came from his lips as he lowered them upon hers.

They shared a small kiss before Seras pulled away. She moved his hand, which had been making its way into her shorts, and stretched. "You know, I don't really feel comfortable doing this with Pip here." Vlad looked over to the sleeping Frenchman and shrugged.

"Why? If you think about it, most of the time that I'm inside you, so is he." Seras wrinkled her nose.

"Ok, I don't like the way you put that. At all." She shuddered. "It's not the same. Besides, I'm not trying to have a three-way tonight."

"Oh, I don't share. But, if somebody wants to watch, I see no issue. They just can't touch." With this, he planted a hard kiss on her chest. Seras shook her head.

"Oh, no. Nobody watches, nobody looks, nobody touches, nobody _anything._ Our lovemaking is between us. Nobody else. _Pig._ " He laughed.

"Such strong words, Seras! I was joking."

"I'm sure." She sighed. "What's going to happen to this place while we're gone?"

"Absolutely nothing."

"And just for reassurance, you're going to be translating things for me, right?"

"Honestly, Seras, in your thirty years away from me, you chose to learn nothing?"

"I'll have you know that I learned Norwegian." Vlad grinned at her and arched an eyebrow.

"Norwegian? Really? Have you ever even _been_ to Norway?"

"Well, no. But I did meet this really cool Norwegian girl. I learned it to impress her."

"A girl? You learned a language to impress a girl? That's ridiculous. I don't think I've ever even tried to impress you." Seras laughed and sat up.

"Oh, yes you have." He raised his eyebrows.

"Really? Care to elucidate?"

"You always try to impress me. Either by your powers, or by your words. Nearly everything you do, you do to try and impress me, admit it."

"Well, If I do, does it work?"

"Definitely." He cocked his head and smiled.

"Then I don't think I need to admit anything." Rolling her eyes, Seras stood and walked over to Pip. She leaned over his body and bit at his cheek. He jumped up shouting French expletives. She sat back on her bed patiently. Vlad turned to lay on his back.

"What do you want?! I was sleeping, dammit!" Seras shrugged.

"I wanted you awake."

"What for?!" The man stared at her, wide eyed. She shrugged once more.

"You can't sleep all the time."

"Says the one that sleeps like a corpse for twelve hours straight!"

"I can't help it. Besides, you don't even need to sleep, if you think about it."

"I don't care if I _don't need to._ I want to."

"Well, I'm sorry. Is it so wrong to want to be around my two favorite men, with them both conscious?"

"Which of us is your favorite?" Vlad mumbled lazily as he laid.

"I don't have a favorite."

"Really? That hurts, darling," the vampire moved to wrap his arms around her. Pip shook his head.

"Obviously you're her favorite."

"And I'd hope so!" He kissed her shoulder before falling back to the bed. Seras just sighed and fell next to him.

Several hours past with the three talking about mundane things. Seras didn't realize how long they had been talking until she looked to the clock. She immediately yawned at the realization that it was late. _2 am? Cor, I've really got to get some sleep._

She turned to her lover and spoke. "I'm going to sleep." He all but rose from his seat at the table to turn to her.

"Already?"

"It's late. If I want to stay awake for the trip, I need to sleep now. Obviously you don't need to sleep with me, but I'm sure Pip wouldn't mind." The mercenary shook his head quickly, phasing into her. She looked back to Vlad. "Do you want to sleep?" He hummed for a moment before shaking his head.

"I'm going to go out and get some food."

"I'm sure we still have blood here." He glared at her. "What?"

"I refuse to drink that pathetic excuse for fresh blood any longer. That shit is the exact opposite of everything blood should be; warm, fresh, and filling. Biting a plastic bag isn't natural, or fun for that matter. Besides, Catrina will surely drink what remains before we leave. Now, I," he stood and ruffled her hair, "am off to feed myself. Would you like for me to bring you back something?" She smiled.

"No thank you, Vlad. I'm fine."

"Suit yourself." He made to leave the room before stopping abruptly and coming back to Seras as she cozied up under the blankets of her bed. He leaned down and lifted her head up by her chin to place a dozen soft kisses on her mouth. "Sleep well, Seras." She smiled against his mouth and kissed him hard. After releasing him, she laid her head on her pillow.

Vlad left and Seras fell asleep a few moments later, bubbles of nervousness flowing throughout her stomach. _It'll be alright, Seras. Vlad will take care of you, nothing is going to happen. Just go with it, be happy, and don't worry about anything. It's all going to be alright._ She sighed, eyes no longer able to open. "It's all going to be… Just fine."


	27. Homecoming

**_Ferne's Thoughts:_** Sorry everybody! It was such a huge delay, huh? Well, I'm super sorry for the absence. I was actually gone for about a week without my computer, so I couldn't write. And when I got back, well, I was kind of out of the Hellsing headspace, you know? So I really apologize if this chapter is jumpy or hazy or anything. It also gets really fluffy and sappy towards the end, and I promise I'll update asap! Well, happy 4th to any Americans reading! And happy Monday to everybody else who may be reading this!

* _I don't own Hellsing, but I do like to think that I own Alucard's castle in this fic.*_

* * *

Seras awoke as a voice whispered throughout her mind. When she opened her eyes, she found Vlad kneeling in front of her. He smiled.

"So that woke you up?" She groaned and rubbed her eyes.

"What was that?"

"I told you to get up. I suppose you still feel compelled to obey me."

"No, it just scared me a bit. What time is it?"

"Eight. You should get ready. It won't take long to get to the airport, but I'd like to secure everything." Seras nodded, rubbing her eyes once more. In no time, she was dressed and ready to leave.

* * *

Seras sat next to Vincent and Catrina as Vlad dealt with the airport security and officials. It took a few short moments for him to hypnotize all the necessary officials and personnel.

She watched on in cheerful pride, his long hair moving as he did. He was taller than the biggest security guard, and was, honestly, more threatening than him as well. Vincent and Catrina were talking, leaving Seras to simply watch and nervously finger the handles of her travel bags. Vlad turned around toward them all, giving them a signal to follow him as he moved past the security. Seras stood quickly, moving as humanly as she could to reach her mate.

As they passed through security, Seras heard the irritated groan of the crowd of people waiting to go through as well. Several of them called out, wondering why they didn't have to go through all of the tireless checking that they would. Seras made her way to Vlad's side and he draped an arm around her shoulder.

"I sent somebody to go get our coffins from the car. I told you; this is easy."

"Even so, I'm not too excited to spend hours trapped on a plane with dozens of living, breathing humans." Vlad chuckled, sound low and smooth.

"We'll also be in first class. There won't be many people in there."

"By we," Vincent interrupted, "do you mean you and Seras, or all of us?" Seras couldn't tell if Vlad looked to the former butler or not, through his sunglasses. He did reply though.

"All of us. Any other way would have been much too complicated." Seras looked back and smiled at the pair behind them. Catrina had to wear ridiculous clothing to cover her skin from the sun, while Seras and Vlad merely had to cover their eyes. Seras chose to wear contacts, and the elder chose to wear his signature opaque glasses.

Vincent sighed, mumbling something under his breath. "Or, if you'd prefer, you can sit in coach with everybody else. Go ahead and choose," Vlad said. Seras smacked his chest lightly, chastising him for his teasing. "Oh, I'm being serious. I just want to make sure our _friends here_ are comfortable."

"Can't you two just stay civil? Just for the travel?" Vlad looked down to the blonde, glasses falling down to expose his eyes.

"I make no promises."

* * *

She sat next to Vlad on the plane, Vincent and Catrina sitting several rows away. She felt Pip continuing to sleep inside her head, the steady vibrating comforting to her. She leaned her head against her partner, getting his attention as people started to file into the plane. She took his glasses off and kissed his cheek.

"I don't think many people would actually ask you about your eyes."

"I don't wear the glasses to hide them." She furrowed her brow.

"Then why do you wear them?"

"It's always so bright out. I told you; I don't enjoy the light."

"That's right." She nodded, noticing that he was indeed squinting in the light. She turned to their window and pulled the shade down, giving him some relief. "I like it better when you don't wear them. I like seeing your eyes."

"Why? Just look in a mirror. We have the same eyes." She shook her head, moving hair from his face.

"No we don't. I can't look into my own eyes and know what you're feeling. Besides, yours are darker. And prettier." Vlad scoffed, taking his glasses from her. Placing them back on his face, he turned to watch the people file into the plane and walk past them. Seras slumped in her seat slightly, looking around. After several more lines of people came through, the plane was ready to take off. As the pilot spoke on the intercom, she looked around the plane again. As she thought about what could possibly await them in Romania, she felt her anxiety grow.

She sighed and watched as England grew smaller and smaller below them.

* * *

Seras' head rested on Vlad's shoulder as she slept. He would have rather had her lay on him more comfortably across his lap, but she had refused, instead choosing to sleep that way. Vlad rested his own head on hers, calmed by the smooth pattern of her breathing. He could hear Vincent and Catrina talking several rows in front of him. He fought the urge to gag every time they said anything slightly _cute_ to each other.

 _It's only natural for two peasants to find solace in each other's company, I suppose. Even so, it's still disgusting._ He kissed the top of Seras' head. She mumbled something against him and he smiled, tightening the hold he had around her. "Te iubesc, Seras Victoria." _I love you, Seras Victoria._ Her body shifted against him.

* * *

The sound of people talking, their heartbeats, the flowing of their blood filled his senses, bringing his mind to a hyper hum. It didn't bother him as it did Seras, as he was more used to the presence of humans in nearby proximity. Since he had fed the night before, it didn't bother him at all, aside from being a minor distraction.

He looked out the window and saw his homeland coming into view, the plane ride coming to an end. Seras had gotten tired an hour in, finally falling asleep during the second hour. The flight was only supposed to last three and a half hours, and they only had about fifteen minutes left. He decided to wake Seras up, and he chose to do so by biting into her arm. She shot up immediately, pulling her arm towards her and, in the process, causing Vlad's teeth to tear into her soft flesh harder than he wanted to. He laughed as she hissed in pain, licking at her arm like a wounded animal.

"What do you want?" she growled at him. As her arm healed, she calmed down.

"We're almost there." She looked around groggily.

"What?" The pilot sounded over the intercom, announcing that the plane would be landing in a few minutes. Suddenly Seras gasped. "You mean I slept the whole time?! I didn't even get to see anything!" Vlad chuckled as she pouted.

"Seras, you've got eternity to watch the seas you fly over." She glared at him, crimson eyes swimming with annoyance.

"So?"

"So," he adjusted himself, bringing his body closer to hers, "stop pouting." Those _beautiful_ eyes of hers rolled then, her body turning from his. Sighing, Vlad mumbled something under his breath, sure she would hear something. And hear she did, head snapping toward her mate.

"What was that?"

"I haven't the faintest idea as to what you're referring to, _my love._ " His eyes never moved from the nails he was pretending to examine.

"Oh, is that right?" He nodded and felt her body shift in her seat. "Arrogant bastard." He couldn't help himself; he laughed. "What? What's so funny?" Turning to her, he grinned.

"Seras, you really should have fed with me. I think you're getting a bit… irritable."

"I'm irritable? Oh, you mean, I'm acting like you?" She grinned now, tiny fangs reflecting the late afternoon sun. Vlad sucked his teeth before nodding slowly, grin ever present.

"I suppose that wasn't unwarranted. You really should feed once we land though."

"I fed a few days ago. I'm fine." He cocked his head. _No, you're not. And you_ _ **will**_ _feed, even if I have to force it down your little throat._

"If you happen to get hungry, tell me, and I'll find something for you." She sighed, the sound sending shivers down his spine.

"Oh, fine. But I'm ok. I'm not even hungry." The pain pounding throughout their bond told Vlad differently, and he arched an eyebrow. He hummed in reply and the plane started to land.

Seras looked out of the window, eyes open enough to take in everything that passed by them quickly. As it landed, she could see green in the distance. She was sure that her heart would have jumped if it still beat. The very prospect of being in her maker's homeland, her lover's homeland, her _mate's homeland_ made her ecstatic. She never thought she would be able to do it, and now that she was there, she couldn't believe it.

 _This is where he was made… This is his country, his home._ She did all she could to keep from dropping her jaw. She shook herself from her haze as the passengers started to exit. As soon as her feet touched the ground, a smooth burst of vibrating electricity ran through her being, and she knew that Vlad must have felt it too. It surprised her, this feeling of… belonging.

With the blood of her maker running through her veins, she felt what he felt, being in his homeland. Even just stepping on the concrete of the airport, she felt the tingles of being in a place she belonged. Even if it wasn't her homeland by birth, she felt connected. She felt connected because of the blood of her maker running through her, because of the love she felt for him, because she could be with him here. _We're going to have a life. Oh, god, we're finally going to be together. We can be happy. Happy! Christ, how long have I been waiting for this? Why did I even doubt coming here?_

She looked to him, sure the feeling running through his body was a thousand times stronger than her own. He took his glasses off slowly, all of them standing far off to the side. He looked over the land in front of them, eyes running over ever bump and curve. For a moment, Seras was afraid he might cry, but she pushed that thought far out of reach of his powers. _He wouldn't cry. He won't._

And, he didn't. Instead, he sighed deeply, nodding. He smiled and turned to her, face bright. "I can feel it," he said more to himself than his lover. "I can feel the power running through me. It's amazing. I haven't touched these lands in so many years. So many unbearable years, and yet; here I am." He sighed once more, turning back to look out in front of him. "Here I am," he whispered. Seras couldn't help but smile. She didn't want to mention the fact that she had felt the power too, in case it upset him in some way. Her chest hurt with happiness at seeing her lover so… _content. We're not even ten steps in, and already he feels at home._

After a moment, he slid his glasses back on, turning away from Seras and walking through the airport. Seras looked between Vincent and Catrina, all of them exchanging bewildered looks. She followed him though, as he led them through the bustling airport. She walked to his side, careful not to move too fast or draw anybody's attention. Around them, the sound of foreign language blossomed and pulsated through the air. Even though she wasn't trying to understand anything, a nearly overwhelming sense of anxiety poured over her. She looked around quickly, feeling herself start to panic and hyperventilate. She tried to calm down and hide her emotion from her lover, but failed. He looked down at her, hand clutching her chest as she looked around in quick movements, eyes panicked.

He felt a pang of pain stab him in the chest at the prospect of his mate feeling uncomfortable. Draping his arm around her, he pulled her close. She reacted to his touch immediately, pushing her body close to his. When she spoke, her voice was little more than a whisper.

"What about our luggage?"

"Don't worry, I'm having it brought to the car."

"Car?"

"We're going by car until we make it to the train station. It's only a twenty minute ride by train, and then we're riding by horse and carriage once we reach the countryside. That should only take a few hours at most."

"What if I get hungry along those few hours?"

"Well, you can either feed from the person driving us, or you can feed from me." Seras breathed in deeply, the voices still surrounding her. "Don't worry." Vlad looked down to her again, trying to think of things that might calm her down. Before he could say anything though, she spoke.

"What about my coffin? How will all of our stuff come with us?"

"Oh, Seras. Just… leave things up to me, alright? Do you think you can do that? Just trust me?" He hadn't meant for his words to come out as harsh as they had, but Seras' anxiety was starting to get on his nerves. He took a deep sigh and changed the subject. "You know, it's odd to be here now. I remember walking on this exact land when it was still… land. Grass and rotting corpses of men I had slain at my feet. And now, an airport sitting atop their bones. Odd how the world works, isn't it?" Seras nodded slowly, processing what he said.

Behind them, Vincent and Catrina were laughing about something between themselves and Seras couldn't help but envy them for their calmness. She held on tightly to Vlad's arm as they came to the car they would be taking. As Vlad said, seconds after they had settled in the car, their luggage came. Everything except for the coffins came, and Seras fought back the urge to ask him about them. She knew she would just annoy her fiancée, so she kept quiet.

* * *

Seras sat next to Vlad while Vincent sat opposite them. Catrina sat by a window, away from everybody else. She had her head down, protecting herself from the sun. Seras smiled, remembering when she had to take such precautions. She leaned up against the sturdy body next to her, slowly trying to give him the message that she wanted him to hold her. He eyed her curiously as she all but forced her body on his. He opened his arm though, allowing her to place her head on his chest.

Here she felt the soft vibration of his, well, what she assumed was his heart. She wondered if her own heart moved the same way, but had no way to tell. She couldn't feel it herself, and she didn't want to ask Vlad if he could feel it. She especially didn't want to bring up the fact that his heart seemed to be beating. He would no doubt attempt to tease her into forgetting the fact all together. _I'll bring everything up eventually. Not now, but some day. Soon. But not too soon._

She snuggled against him and suddenly waves of need fell over her. She began placing small kisses on his chest, just light enough for him to feel and enjoy. With her hand, she stroked the inside of his thigh, gently squeezing every few seconds. She felt a low growl forming in his chest and she looked up to see if anybody else had heard it. If Catrina did, she didn't pay it any mind, and Vincent didn't seem to have heard anything. She continued kissing him, but on the third one she placed, she bit down. She didn't bite with the intent of drinking his blood, but to give him a gentle burst of pleasure.

A light moan escaped his lips, the one he tried to contain while Seras kissed him. He couldn't help it; when her sharp teeth pierced his flesh, he was taken aback. He wasn't all together shocked she had bit him, no, she did that anytime she felt extreme pleasure or arousal. That much he had concluded. But to do such an arousing thing, among other people? That was what shocked him. It was shocking to him, not only because she was shy about public displays of affection, but because _he_ was the possessive one. _He_ was supposed to be the one embarrassing her with possessive acts, not the other way around. And biting was an extremely possessive act to vampires, not that either of the people in their company would understand.

Her bite wasn't even hard enough to draw blood, nor leave a mark. But he wished… He wished he had her mark on him. Just the very thought of her marking him as her own made him harden, made hormones and lust swim through his veins. Her grip tightened on his thigh, _so close to what I want her to touch. To what I want her to_ _ **feel.**_ _Christ, the first thing I'm doing is making love to her. I don't care where, or when, but I will have her._

She nibbled on him again. He hissed, trying to push the message for her to stop. She laughed lightly before speaking.

"No," she said, her voice light and airy. "I'm afraid you'll just have to deal with it, unless you want to do something about it." Vlad brought his fingers up to get tangled in her hair and grinned.

"Oh, there are several things I wouldn't mind doing right now. But I don't think we have quite the adequate amount of space for such things. We'll both have to wait." At Seras' pout, he laughed. "Don't worry, we've got all the time in the world." Vincent cleared his throat, alerting the two sitting across him to his presence.

"It would be just grand if you two didn't fuck in front of me." Vlad glared at the man.

"I don't suppose you spoke to your former employer that way, now, did you?" The human scoffed.

"Oh, please. You're not my _employer,_ and I didn't think you would be offended, judging by the trash that comes from your mouth." The vampire King cocked his head, fangs elongating in his mouth.

"I have only so much patience for impudence in one day, and you're pushing it, Vincent." Vincent laughed, crossing his arms. Seras sat up, Vlad's anger emanating from his form.

"Touch me. I dare you," he said with a smirk. Vlad matched the human's gesture, eyes of flame as sharp teeth hinted through his smirk. The vampire King took his arm from Seras, placing it in his lap. His long fingers entwined with his other set, hands folding on his knee. Seras looked between the two before turning to Catrina. She seemed to be asleep, _thank god. We don't need_ _ **her**_ _getting in the way of anything._

Vlad leaned forward, bringing his face within inches of Vincent's. His smirk slowly stretched into a toothy grin. "Well, since you asked-"

As the vampire opened a hand, the car came to a sudden stop, sending Catrina and Seras flying to the floor. Vlad hadn't been phased, and Vincent held onto the seat. The grin fell from the King's face, annoyance replacing his previously amused expression. He slammed his back to the seat and ran a hand through his hair roughly. "Now what?"

Seras moved from the floor back to her seat as her lover left the car. Catrina groaned and curled in on herself, choosing to stay in her spot. Vincent sucked his teeth and turned to Seras.

"I hate him." She shook her head, sighing.

"So?"

"You're an idiot for falling for him."

"Yes, go ahead, Vincent. Join the club of people who disapprove of whom I place my affections upon. Fuck you too." _Oh, no. Are we going to start fighting now?_ Vlad opened the door again, letting the mid-afternoon sunlight pour in. She hissed in slight annoyance as she looked to him. "What happened?"

"We seem to have reached our destination. Hurry up and get out." Seras glared at him as he moved to let her out. As her feet touched the hard ground, she stretched. Arching her back, she looked to the cloudy sky. Though it was bright, the sun had been covered by a herd of white fluff. She heard the trunk of the car close behind her followed by the rolling wheels of one of her suitcases.

She turned and found the driver unloading their luggage. She quickly grabbed her own luggage and took her place near Vlad. When the driver finished, Vlad spoke to him, seemingly frightening the man. The driver quickly took his place back in the car and began to drive away. Seras furrowed her eyebrows and looked to find Vlad smirking. "What did you say to him?"

"I just told him that he's lucky I'm not hungry yet," he said with a grin.

"You're a bastard." She tried, but she couldn't help but laugh as he gave an agreeing nod.

Looking forward, Vincent sighed. _I hate vampires._

* * *

Catrina sat next to Vincent and listened to his heartbeat. The train rocked and rode over smooth bumps, and she could smell the anxiety in his blood. She was unsure of why she found such happiness in conversation and company with the human, but so far, she was enjoying it. As Vincent smiled down at her, the soft lines around eyes crinkling. She laughed as he joked with her.

"So, you're telling me that you're jealous of her? _You?_ " He pointed to the red head sitting across from them.

"Of course I am. Look at her! She's gorgeous and happy and human. She looks so alive. And she's got to be what, in her twenties? So jealous." Vincent scoffed and shook his head.

"No, you're much better looking. You don't need to be human, you know. Just look at your hair compared to hers. Yours is much prettier, all those curls." She looked away, embarrassed. "And even your eyes are pretty. They're almost brown looking." He looked down to her and smiled gently. "You're beautiful."

"You don't mean that." He bumped her shoulder as he replied.

"Yes, I do. You may not know how to keep good company, but I like you." _Say it. Say it, Catrina! Do it now, or he'll think you're into him!_

"I'm a lesbian." _Oh, that was so not subtle._ Vincent's smile never fell.

"I know. I don't fancy you, or anything. I just… like you."

"Oh… Well… That's good then. I like you too!" She smiled back at him and their conversation continued.

* * *

Vlad watched Seras as she looked out the train window. He watched the way her eyes took in everything passing them, the wide ruby orbs swimming with exploration and wonder. She looked so human to him, still looked just as human as the night he turned her. As much as he wanted to hate that about her, he couldn't bring himself to. He loved her, every part of her. Even the remains of her human life, the ones he would have despised in any other vampire. He even found it a bit endearing how she clung on to humanity so tightly, even after being alone for so long. _Perhaps it's best that I was absent as she grew._

Her hair bounced with each bump of the train, subtly showing off the scars on her neck. He felt a quick bolt of pride at seeing his mark on her. His bite wasn't a small one, taking up nearly the whole side of her neck. He couldn't wait to add more on her body.

"How does it feel? Being back, I mean." Her quiet voice was almost lost among the hum of the train, but Vlad heard it.

"I don't believe there are accurate words to describe it."

"And you've never been allowed to be here before? While you were with Hellsing?"

"Never."

"That's a shame. It seems so pretty." She rested her head on her hand as she leaned against the window. Vlad watched her as she sighed, the sound as light as her voice. She turned to look at him, eyes moving up to his. Those eyes drifted between his eyes and his mouth and he thought she was going to kiss him until she spoke. "Do you know the time?"

"Does it matter?"

"Yes." Vlad sighed.

"Around 3:30 in England." She nodded and turned back to the window. He watched her for a moment longer before placing an arm around her. He pulled her to him and she laughed, placing a hand on his chest.

"Is there a reason you're interrupting my window watching?" He hummed low, laying his head on hers.

"No, not any specific reason. I just wanted to hold my wife."

"Wife? We aren't married yet. Technically I'm just your fiancée."

"You say 'fiancée', I say 'wife'. Same thing, really." She laughed again, pushing her head harder against him, hand falling to his thigh.

"Not quite." He kissed the top of her head and looked to the side as a man spoke to him.

" _How long have you two been together?"_ Vlad thought for a moment before he replied.

" _Longer than you could believe."_ The man smiled.

" _She's beautiful. You look like you were made for each other."_

" _I like to think that we were. She's the only thing I've ever wanted. She's perfect in every way."_ Seras looked up at Vlad, her brows furrowed.

"What are you two talking about? It's not fair having a conversation that I can't understand." He chuckled and kissed her again.

"You're right. I was bragging about you." Her face lit up and she smiled.

"Oh. Well, in that case, continue." She lifted up and kissed his cheek. He felt a warm tingle after her lips left his skin. Smiling softly, he turned back to the man and shrugged.

" _What did I say? Perfect."_

* * *

Vlad whispered into Seras' ear for the remainder of the short ride, the two of them focused on nothing but their conversations, on nothing but each other. When the ride had finally stopped, she stood and stretched, grabbing her luggage from above them. She still wondered what Vlad had done with their coffins, but she listened to his advice and tried not to worry about it.

As they all sat outside, Seras looked to the sky again. It was still cloudy and the sun still hid behind white fluff, slowly creeping down towards the horizon.

They all waited for their ride to arrive, not really saying anything. Tension hung in the air, though Seras wasn't sure why. She didn't comment on it, instead looked to her dark finger-nails. Smiling at the shiny polish, she watched the way the light reflected off of the color.

Seras felt exhausted. She knew that the time difference between England and Romania was about two hours, so she assumed that it was somewhere around 6 pm. The sky was turning darker every minute and she yawned. The whole day had been stressful and exhausting and all she wanted to do was eat and sleep.

"What's the matter, Police Girl?" her lover's deep voice brought her to attention.

"Nothing's the matter." He arched an eyebrow.

"You're being quiet. Usually I can't do anything to get you to shut up, so what's the matter?"

"Nothing. I guess I'm just tired, not to mention how awkward it feels with _them_ here." Catrina gasped.

"Are you referring to me? That's just fucking rude." Seras sighed and turned to the tall girl.

"I _meant_ both of you. You don't like _me,_ and Vincent doesn't like _Vlad_. It's awkward, and don't tell me you don't think so too."

"Don't try to tell me what I think." Seras was shocked by the sudden anger Catrina showed. Her dark eyes opened wide and she gave a small 'um' before clearing her throat.

"See, that's exactly what I was talking about. Awkward." She heard Catrina sigh and looked to Vlad, thankful he hadn't done anything after the girl's outburst. He was looking at her as if he wanted to say something, but with a small shake of his head, he looked away. She decided to speak to him through their bond. _"_ _ **I really, really dislike her.**_ "

" _Why don't you do something about it, then?"_

" _ **Do something? Like what?"**_

" _Rip her head off, break all of her bones, tear her apart, pull out her teeth, torture her… something like that."_

" _ **Are you insane?"**_

" _Yes."_

" _ **Well, I would never do that. She hasn't actually done anything to me."**_

" _So? Do you need to see an action in order to show her the authority you hold over her? Stand up for yourself. She is nothing, she has never been anything, and she never will. She's nothing to you and I, nothing but a little ant to crush under your boot when you get sick of her. I'm sure she can be trained, but if she keeps her disrespectful attitude, one of us are going to have to discipline her. And I'm sure she'd rather have your hand across her face, not mine."_

" _ **I'm not going to beat her!"**_

" _Why not? You easily could."_

" _ **That's cruel. I'd only do something like that if somebody hit me first."**_

" _Your empathy is holding you back, you know."_

" _ **Have you ever even shown any empathy? More people would like you."**_

" _Why would I want people to like me? I want people to fear me, to respect me. If a person likes you, they're too familiar. Even the vampires closest to me feared me. That's how a prefer it. That's how a King should be."_

" _ **I like you. I don't fear you at all."**_ Vlad turned to her and smiled.

"Ah, but you used to. When I turned you, you were afraid. The first time you saw me, you were afraid. You feared me many times, Seras Victoria."

"I wasn't _afraid_ of you. I was more afraid of your actions. Never you… Only what you did." He continued smiling at her as he nodded slowly.

"I suppose that's because you're an idiot, isn't it?" She was about to reply when she noticed the carriage they were awaiting start to come into view. It moved quickly and came to them after a minute.

* * *

After Vlad spoke to the boy directing the four horses in the front, they packed their luggage in the back of the large buggy. Vincent and Catrina were the first ones in, followed by Seras and Vlad a few minutes later. Seras always liked to stay and listen to Vlad as he spoke to people in his native language. The words came so smoothly from him, sounding almost like music. Apparently the boy he was speaking to didn't hear the words the same way, his face pale and heart beating quickly. A light layer of distressed sweat was on his forehead and his bright blue eyes were open wide, head nodding fervently every time Vlad said something.

As Seras sat across from Vlad, Vincent told Catrina a story about an old girlfriend of his. _He's dated? I just assumed he'd always been single. I wonder if he's dating somebody now? No, he couldn't be. Otherwise he would have never come._ Vlad looked bored beyond belief, head resting on his hand. She tapped his leg with her boot and he looked to her.

"So, it's supposed to take like four hours to get to where ever we're going?" He nodded. "Then we won't be getting there until what, ten?" Once more, he nodded. "And we're going to have to listen to them the whole time?" Vlad smiled and in the blink of an eye, a dark wall of shadow separated the two vampires from the others. She tapped it and found that it was solid, though the shadow moved like water. She could no longer hear Vincent or Catrina's laughter, instead, only the silence between Vlad and her.

"Is that better?" She smiled back and nodded, "They can't see us, we can't see them. Can't even hear them. What do you want to do?" His smile turned into a smirk and she laughed.

"I am not having sex with you in this thing."

"Oh, why not? It's big enough."

"They'll feel the rocking!" He shrugged.

"They won't think it's us."

"No. No, no, no, no. I am not having sex with you in a bloody carriage."

"You're no fun at all."

"You're a pervert." She was quiet for a moment before looking up at him under thick lashes. "Well… We could kiss right?" He grinned and nodded and she moved next to him to kiss him. In no time, they had become heated and Seras straddled his lap. She couldn't help but grind into his hardness, fingers tangled in his hair. His fangs nipped her bottom lip and she moaned. She almost gave in to the gentle touches he was placing on her waist before she came to her senses.

She pulled her lips away from his and he groaned in disappointment. "Oh, don't stop now," he said. "Please, I just want to be inside you." She smiled, her face against his cheek.

"I told you! No sex in the carriage!"

"So, what? I have to wait?"

"I waited thirty years to hold your sodding hand, you can wait a few hours to make love to me." He sighed and kissed her cheek. His hands tightened their grip on her waist, nails digging into her flesh. She mewed, hips rocking on his hardness. She moved her face into the crook of his neck and kissed him.

After a few minutes, she changed her position on his lap. Vlad cradled her now, and she felt herself falling asleep once again.

* * *

 _Seras walked around the desk and stared at the pale blonde hair in front of her. Integra was speaking to her, but she wasn't paying any attention. Her Master had just… disappeared, a few days ago. Yet Integra hadn't even seemed phased. Seras found that odd, but didn't speak about it._

 _Until she heard what Integra was saying. "Honestly, I don't understand why you're so damn depressed. Your bastard of a master is gone! And he's likely not coming back. Hell, he's probably dead. You should be over-joyed! Alucard was an arrogant pathetic bastard. A fallen king. He was a pain to deal with. I'm glad he's been taken off my hands." Those words made a fire burn in Seras' chest. She felt her blood boil as a loud growl ripped its way through her body._

" _Don't you dare speak of my Master that way! I hate you! Now, now I understand why he hated you, everything, humans so much! You're so petty! You think he's pathetic? You're the little girl making monsters do your bidding. He's gone, because of you… because you wanted him to fight! When he comes back, I bet you'll feel like an idiot, won't you?"_

" _He's never coming back."_

" _Yes he is!"_

"Seras." _She felt her body vibrating oddly._ "Seras." _She looked around for the source of the voice calling her name._ "Seras!"

Her eyes shot open and she was faced with Vlad's impatient gaze. She felt herself panting, her chest heavily rising and falling. She felt panicked until he said her name again.

"Seras? Are you alright?" She sighed deeply and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"I had such a bad dream. Oh my god, I'm so glad everything is ok." Vlad's laughter tickled her ear and she smiled.

"You slept the whole way." She opened her eyes and looked around, finding that the sun had long since set.

"We're there?"

"Just about." Removing her arms from around his neck, she sat up. Looking around, she saw that Vincent and Catrina were asleep, most likely as exhausted from the trip as she was. She moved her gaze back to her fiancé's face to find him looking out the window with heavy lids.

"Are you tired?" she asked. His eyes drifted down to her, giving away his tiredness.

"No." Smiling, she removed herself from his lap and sat on the seat opposite him. Seras could feel the carriage starting to slow, and she looked out toward where Vlad was. She could see moonlit hills, dark and grassy. They had seemingly come from a path through thick woods, as she could see a layer of tall trees behind them. She tried to stick her head as close to the window as she possibly could, craning her neck. In the distance she could make out the outline of a large structure among the barren hills. It stood out like a sore thumb, the only thing that wasn't an organic part of nature.

As they moved closer, it grew in size. They gradually came to a stop, a great distance from the structure. Vlad cocked his head before looking out the window and opening the door. She followed him this time, her boots landing on the soft grass. He walked over to the young driver and spoke. His tone was harsh and questioning, and the boy replied in quick, fearful statements. From what Seras could gather from the boy's hand motions, he didn't want to go any closer to the building. She furrowed her brow and came closer to the two.

"What's wrong?" she asked. The boy looked at her, almost in a beg until his face contorted into fear. He quickly yelled at Vlad and she saw the vampire smile. He spoke in a calmer tone this time, most likely mocking the boy. Seras sighed. "Are you listening to me?" Vlad didn't look to her as he spoke.

"He refuses to take us any further. It seems as though the people in his village think the place is cursed." He paused before chuckling. "Well, they aren't wrong. And now he's upset that you're a vampire. 'Two devils? Two? I thought you were the only one!' And then I corrected him and told him that there are actually _three devils._ " He laughed before turning to her. "Well, it seems that we have to walk." He sniffed the air suddenly, cocking his head as if he heard something. "Actually, I think that I'll go first. Wait here for me."

Seras stood, confused and ready to follow him when he called out to her with a wave of his hand. "Don't follow me. Stay." She laughed.

"I'm going with you." As she took a step forward, she saw a large black figure come barreling towards her. Before she could react, it took her to the ground, growling in her face.

"No, you're not," Vlad said. She instantly recognized the figure atop her.

"Well, hello Baskerville. How are you doing?" she sighed out. The growling stopped and was replaced with a soft panting. Gently, she pushed on the dog's massive chest as a sign for him to get off of her. He didn't understand, instead choosing to lay down fully on her. His weight forced the breath from Seras' lungs and she whined. Baskerville licked at her face, wet nose poking at her cheek.

She brought her hands up to cup his face, kissing the warm snout.

* * *

Vlad walked closer and closer to his old home, each step closing the gap between them. He left because he had indeed heard noises coming from the chateau, joined with a steady heartbeat. He knew there were people in there, he just didn't quite know who. He didn't want Seras to come with him, in case there was any sort of issue.

He moved up-hill swiftly, careful not to make any noise. In no time he made it to the large front doors. He listened. Muffled voices came from behind the heavy wooden slabs and he listened for a moment, recognizing the language as English. He separated the voices as belonging to two different people, a woman and a man. Not bothering to listen any further, he opened the doors and walked in.

There was dim light filling the room Vlad stepped into. The voices silenced immediately and he looked around. The room looked rather modern, with lamps and even somebody's laptop computer sitting on a large table to the left of the room. Also sitting at the table was a man, who quickly turned around to face Vlad. The vampire looked around some more before leaning against the doors. His eyes met the wide ones of a short woman. She was clutching something that hung from her neck and Vlad smirked.

"Well, I hadn't expected to be stared at in my own home." The woman jumped a bit, her eyes widening further.

"And you are?" she asked, her voice shaky with fear. He laughed.

"I should be asking you that! What exactly is your name?" The woman cleared her throat, short brown hair shaking with her head.

"My name is Medina, and this," she motioned to the gap mouthed blonde man sitting at the table. Before she could continue, the man stood and greeted Vlad with a grin.

"Christ, I thought you were dead! So it seems the great king truly lives on, eh?" Suddenly Vlad recognized the man and he returned the grin.

"What exactly are _you_ doing here, Marcus?" Vlad hadn't recognized the vampire in front of him until he spoke, _with that cocky attitude of his. After all these years he still has it? Well, I suppose I haven't changed much either._

"I'd heard a rumor that King Vlad had destroyed Countess Bathory and figured that you might show up here. Call me hopeful," Marcus shrugged, "but it seemed like something I would do as well." Vlad chuckled quietly before turning back to Medina.

"And what is your reason for being here?" She wiped sweat from her forehead before she spoke.

"You're… You're the king?" Vlad nodded. "The _real_ king?"

"Well, is there a false one running around somewhere?" She stammered before shaking her head.

"No, just… I wasn't expecting you. I didn't believe…" she cleared her throat and curtseyed. "I'm your servant, Master. I'm not the only one, but I am the only one here right now. There are others in the village." Vlad nodded slowly, eyes not leaving Medina's own.

"And you're to be submissive to me, to have no attitude or disrespect towards me?" She nodded. "Well, that's more than I've got now. Good." He looked around once more. "You know, I had expected this place to be little more than ruins."

"Oh, no, Master, your home has been looked after since your departure. Not so much as a speck of dust sits on anything in here." He hummed and looked to the ceiling.

"And are the rooms still in order?"

"Yes, every last one of them. Vacant, clean, and as beautiful as you left them."

"Good, because I've brought some… guests." Both Marcus and Medina took on confused looks.

"Guests?" she asked.

"Oh, yes. I'll go fetch them now." As the last word escaped his lips, he disappeared from view of the others.

* * *

Seras sat with Baskerville, waiting for Vlad's return. After what she estimated to be around fifteen minutes, he appeared in front of her. She gasped, startled, and Baskerville jumped in excitement. Vlad ignored the huge hound, summoning it back into him. "Come on," he said.

"Come on where?" She stood, brushing blades of broken grass from her clothing.

"To the forest, Seras. We're going to live amongst the trees and wolves like the beasts we are," he teased. She glared at him and looked to the structure in the distance.

"There are people in there."

"Yes. A servant and an old… acquaintance of mine. You needn't pay any attention to either; you can sleep if you'd like."

"Vlad, I'm tired, but I'm not _that_ tired. I can wait for you to sleep with me." She gave him a small wink before hopping into the carriage and waking up both Vincent and Catrina. She shook them awake, much to Catrina's dismay. She growled at the Draculina, and Seras hopped back out of the carriage.

Vlad had taken all of the luggage from the back, bags laying in a careless pile. She went and grabbed her own as the others made their way from the carriage. Vlad walked to Seras and kissed her head.

"Let's go." She followed as he walked forward.

* * *

"So this beauty must be the fledgling I've heard so much about! Seras Victoria, right?" The man - Marcus, Vlad said – was extremely handsome and charismatic, his bright ruby eyes contrasting beautifully with his pale skin. He was only a bit taller than her, around Pip's height, but it served him well. He held himself with grace, much like Vlad.

She gave a polite nod, smiling at the compliment. "Well, I'm not a fledgling anymore." His eyes widened slightly and he looked between Vlad and her. Vlad sat at a large table, feet resting atop it.

"Oh, really?" Marcus asked, curiosity dripping from his words. Vlad tapped on the table with his long fingernails.

"Marcus, meet Seras, my mate." His eyes widened even more and his mouth opened slightly.

"M…Mate? You mean-"

"What? You didn't think I could find one? Oh, ye of little faith." He wagged a finger towards the blond man and grinned. "Thus, being my mate, she is also your queen. Remember that, Marcus."

"Oh, believe me," his bright eyes roamed Seras' form for a quick second. "I will." She felt uncomfortable under the man's gaze and glared at him. He chuckled before turning to Vlad. "So, I suppose you two will be sharing a room?"

"Yes, and we are _not_ to be disturbed unless I come out of our room. Is that understood?" The girl, Medina, nodded, as well as Marcus. Catrina and Vincent had gone to their own rooms to sleep and Seras was growing increasingly tired. She could feel that Vlad was as well, and she walked over to him.

"Vlady," she whined, "I'm getting tired." He looked into her eyes for a moment before getting up.

"Then let's go to sleep." Vlad wrapped an arm around her waist before he took her in the direction of a staircase. They walked up it, and Seras marveled in the beautiful décor lining the walls, all seemingly antique and from another era. Everything, from the shiny candelabras to the crimson velvet carpeting lining the floor screamed that this was indeed Vlad's home. She smiled to herself as his fingers began to rub against her waist.

The home was massive, at least as big as the Hellsing mansion. Though this one was undoubtedly made of more rough stone than smooth concrete and steel. She let a finger trail across the coarse wall, her soft skin scratched by the bumpy material. She could feel his body vibrating against hers and she placed a hand over the one around her waist. His skin was always colder than hers, though she couldn't figure out why. He _was_ warm, sometimes, but most of the time he was cold.

"This place is beautiful."

"I can't take much credit for that, I'm afraid. Some things _have_ definitely changed."

"Even so, it's very… you." He chuckled at her words and held her tighter.

"Well, tomorrow night, when we wake up, it can be very _us_." The made their way to what seemed to be the top floor, after several minutes of walking up stairs. There were several doors along a long, wide hallway. Vlad walked her to a door, not unlike the others she had seen around the home and halls. "If I'm correct, this should be our room." He opened it and the inside was gorgeous.

Dark velvets and silks filled the large room, candles and a chandelier lit it. The light reflected off of the fabrics around the chamber beautifully. The crystal chandelier hung from the tall ceiling, making the place look like it was a home of its own, not just an addition to one. She stepped inside, taking in all of the beauty before Vlad closed the door with a loud thud. She jumped and turned to him.

"Hm. I seem to remember it being a bit more… Extravagant."

"Are you kidding? This place is straight from a fairy tale! It's gorgeous and huge and something from a dream." She spun in a circle, taking in every shiny, glittery, smooth inch of the room. The room _was_ massive, and Seras decided to walk around as Vlad took a set in one of the large velvet lined chairs.

His room was equal to a medium sized house, branching off into several different places. There was what seemed to be a kitchen after a short hallway, a bathroom filled with a tub big enough for several people, mirrors encompassing the majority of the walls, and a beautiful porcelain sink. There was even a toilet, though Seras couldn't quite understand the reasoning behind that, she was just thankful that there was indoor plumbing and electricity. She exited the bathroom after checking her hair, and went down a longer hallway in the room. Many items such as swords - still stained with blood - armor, expensive looking paintings, antiquities, and old books lined the walls around the room and halls. She made her way to another section of the room, large enough to be its own room. In the room was a huge bed, much bigger than any she had seen in person. It was hidden from view by dark chiffon sheets hanging gracefully from the canopy above it. She suspected, with a cringe, that this was for privacy whenever Vlad had a woman in his room. This part of the room was beautiful, yet nearly empty, aside from the bed, a nightstand, and what she assumed was a closet. She looked over the room once more and found a large painting in a corner close to the bed.

She walked up to it and found that it was of a beautiful woman. The woman had a delicate looking frame, thin and nearly sickly looking, yet she still retained beauty. Long, thick looking brown hair draped down her shoulders in soft waves, framing her sharp face. Her eyes looked nearly lifeless, dull green and surrounded by dark circles from nights of sleeplessness. Her cheekbones were high and cast flattering shadows on her face, highlighting full, pink lips. She was dressed in Victorian attire, a dark blue collar lined with lace reaching up towards her sharp chin. Her hands were folded in her lap, a large ring on her finger. A necklace, seemingly made for the ring, hung from her neck.

Seras stared at the ring. It looked oddly familiar and she couldn't place it for several seconds. That is, until she felt the ring on her finger and looked down to it. Her mouth opened and she felt tears stinging her eyes in shock as she recognized the ring in the painting as the one on her finger. They were identical, and there was no mistaking- Vlad had given this woman the ring as well. He had wanted this woman as well. _He had wanted her, as he wants me? Oh god._ She looked over the painting more, hate and jealousy filling her senses. She no longer thought the woman was beautiful, now all she saw was a frail, pathetic piece of trash that didn't _deserve_ to wear that ring, the same ring as her. Rage filled her chest.

This woman wasn't a vampire, her eyes weren't red. She was pale and thin, tired and depressed looking. She didn't look happy. She didn't look like she deserved to wear that ring. Her fangs grew and cut her lip, her hands balled into fists. She didn't know who this woman was, and she didn't care. She hated her. Seras knew that Vlad had been with other women, of course, he had even told her that he had been married before! Of course she knew. Women would want him, women had wanted him before she was even born. And he had been with these women, and many more. Including the one in the painting before her. She just couldn't see the appeal though. This woman seemed so… different from herself. Seras was strong, while this woman appeared weak. She was short, this woman seemed much taller than herself in stature. Seras was blonde, this woman was a brunette. Seras was everything opposite the painted one. And this woman, so different from herself, captured her mate's heart? How?

She felt hot tears fall from her eyes, red covering her vision. She shook with rage and sadness and she whispered. "Vlad." She let her hand touch the smooth painting, allowing it to rest upon the woman's blue tinged skin. Seras felt rather than heard Vlad approach and stand behind her. She wiped away her tears. "Who is this?" she whispered once more. She felt something strange between their bond, something between anger and pity. It made her own rage grow. _Is he sad? Does he miss her? Whoever this whore is? How dare he?!_ She looked to him and found something akin to hatred swimming in his eyes as he looked to the painting.

"I assumed somebody would have burned this thing." He looked away and muttered under his breath, "I suppose if you want something done, you'd better do it yourself."

"Who is this?" she asked again, drawing his attention back to her and the painting. He looked between her and it, shame on his face and a new emotion in his eyes. It was raw, unfiltered, and he didn't try to hide it. It was… _regret? Pain? No… he's sorry I saw it. That's what it is. He didn't want me to see it. He didn't want me to know._ He wasn't trying to mask anything at all, or perhaps he just forgot to, she thought.

"That is… was Wilhelmina Murray. The woman that sent me into the hands of Abraham van Hellsing so many years ago. Before I turned her." Her hand fell from the painting.

"You turned her…"

"Yes. Seras, I-"

"You loved her?"

"No!" His answer was sharp and quick and she gazed back at him. "No, Seras, I never loved her. I never even _thought_ I loved her. Darling, believe me. I… I _wanted_ her. She reminded me so much of my wife, it was unbelievable. I thought it was some sort of sign how similar they were, and I wanted so desperately for something, _anything_ to call my own, to claim. First it was England, and then it was her. I took her here, and I made her mine. She was a possession to me. A possession I never thought would betray me the way she did." His words didn't soothe her new wounds.

"You wanted her? You want me."

"No, Seras, it is not the same. I wanted to _make her mine, force her to be mine._ You wanted me the way I wanted you. I love you. I never once felt anything close to love for her. It was a lust for her and a lust for power that made me claim her. That was what made me turn her. She didn't feel anything for me, either. To her, I was a monster, a beast to be slain, and slay she tried. What can I say to make you understand?"

"Why give me the same ring?" She hurt, and she didn't want to hear his words.

"When I gave it to her, it meant something different. It was a sign of possession. Anybody who looked upon her would know who she belonged to before I even turned her. When I gave that ring to you, it was out of love. I want you; not your body. I want _you._ I want who you are, who you've become, and who you will grow to be, Seras. I want your heart, and your mind, and your soul. I wanted Mina's body and blood; nothing more. You two are not even on the same line, and as far as I'm concerned, you aren't even from the same world. She… She was selfish and weak and traitorous, and you are selfless and strong and loyal. You are complete opposites and she was _nothing_ to me. Nothing." He moved forward to touch her but she moved back.

"If she was nothing, you wouldn't have wanted her."

"You're right. She was something then. _Was._ I was growing sick of her before she even betrayed me. I knew she hated me, and I was growing more and more suspicious of her. As soon as it happened, I hated her. I hated her with a fury I've never known since. But in the years following, I thought about her often. Especially so as I was locked away. Now, I don't even feel anything towards her. She is nothing, absolutely nothing to me. I used to feel complete rage at the very mention of her name; now? Nothing. Seras, you are my everything. You are my light, my stars, my _life_. I came back for you. I didn't want to keep fighting, but as soon as I heard your voice, I did. I wanted to; for you. Don't you believe me? Don't you understand?"

She had never heard him speak the way he was, his words raw and rough. His voice seemed to break in spots, his tone becoming more and more urgent and worried and distraught. She was hurting him, she could feel it. But now that she had done it, it almost felt good. Like revenge, for him leaving her all alone for so long. But she knew, she knew that it took much more to hurt him than it did to hurt her. That very fact hurt her as well. "I… I, I don't know, Vlad. I'm just… I'm so tired."

"Then we can sleep. Alright?" Even as he said this, she could still hear that pain in his voice, so foreign from such a guarded man. She nodded quickly and went to move towards the bed. He grabbed her arm and she turned to him. His eyes made her chest tighten. "I love you," he whispered. She blinked and responded.

"I love you too, Vlad." He smiled and nodded. Seras climbed through the dark chiffon and stripped from her clothes, leaving only her shirt on along with her knickers. She heard her mate speak quietly, not to her.

"You're not even breathing anymore and yet you still manage to find ways to ruin things." She heard the sound of something being torn from the wall and peaked out from the curtains of the bed. She saw Vlad carrying the painting of Mina in his hands. She got out of bed and followed him as he walked through the hallways to the main room. She didn't speak, only followed until he made it to the large ornate fireplace along one of the walls. In a blink, the fireplace came to life with hungry flames and Vlad looked to her. "She is nothing to me. And now, there will be nothing left of her." He tossed the painting into the mouth of the flames, which ate up her image hungrily. She watched as the paint melted and bubbled and burned, the canvas turning to ash. She blinked as light tears stung her eyes.

"Vlad…"

"I told you, Seras. You're everything I want, everything I need. I don't want to lose you, especially over some pathetic thing as that." He came to her and wrapped his arms around her exposed waist. He dipped his head into her neck and kissed her, the act wet and warm. _Passionate._ "Let's go to bed." She moaned against his caresses and kisses, pushing herself against his manhood. He chuckled, the sound sending chills down her spine. "No, none of that tonight. You need to sleep. And then, you need to eat. You get moody when you're hungry."

"That's not true," she snapped.

"No? So I suppose you're normally so easily upset?" She thought for a moment before agreeing.

"Fine. Let's sleep, and then you can feed me." He picked her up and carried her back to the bed.

"Feed you? Oh, no. You're going to hunt for yourself, no feeding allowed, I'm afraid." She groaned in annoyance. The sound turned into soft mewing as he dropped her gently into the silken sheets and his body encompassed hers.

She fell asleep to his soft kisses and whispers, wondering how she could have let a painting get to her the way it did.


	28. Suspicions Rising

Seras was awoken by a gentle nudging. Opening her eyes, she found the movement was coming from Vlad, still asleep next to her. As she looked at him, cradling her body, she suddenly realized that she had never really seen him asleep. And he _was_ asleep, judging by the way his body would twitch occasionally, eyes moving underneath closed lids. He looked so peaceful to her, no mask covering his face, his emotions.

His mouth was just barely open, lips trembling every so often. His hands, which lay across her stomach, slid under her shirt and tickled her skin. She twisted herself around, her nose now an inch from his. She didn't feel any breath coming from him, but as she pressed a hand to his firm chest, she felt the slow vibration of his quiet heart.

A smile filled Seras' face as she looked upon him. _He looks human. Like a normal human being. It's hard to believe that this peaceful looking man is a monster, has killed thousands of people, and just for fun, or sport. It's odd. Sometimes he just seems so… normal. I wonder… If we were in a different world, if we were both human… Would we still fall in love? Would we still cross paths, be together? Would he be the same person? What was he even like when he was human? I don't even think he remembers. All I know is him as he is now. And… That's all I need to know. He's perfect the way he is, in all his monstrous glory._ She laughed at her thoughts, effectively waking Vlad up.

His eyes fluttered open, crimson orbs shaky before focusing on hers. They narrowed a bit and his lips took on the form of a gentle smile. His hand left her body and he brought up his arms to stretch his long body. As he did so, she noticed that he had taken off his shirt at some point during their sleep. He kept his pants on, but unbuttoned. His pale skin contrasted sharply against the deep red sheets, her own pale flesh slipping on the smooth silk.

She propped herself up on her hands and elbows, watching as he turned his head to the side, small pops coming from his form. When he finished, he sighed and looked to her. Dark hair fell into his face and Seras leaned over to brush it out of the way. As she got the chance to stare at him, she noticed just how much he had changed since she first met him. His body wasn't thin and lean anymore, now taking on a more muscular, thicker form. Even his face seemed a little different the more she looked. He was still the same, he just looked… Older now. It wasn't a bad change at all, she decided. He seemed to get more and more handsome with each meal. _Integra really must have been starving him. That's horrible. I wonder if anything about me would change if I fed from live people more regularly? I wonder if anything_ _ **has**_ _changed?_ His voice brought her from her from her thoughts.

"What are you doing up before me?" He smiled at her.

"Me? Oh, I don't know. I guess I just heard something, or… something." He hummed and took her in his arms again. Her chest pressed hard against his own and she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Is that right? And what exactly do you think you heard?" She smirked and pressed her face to his cheek.

"I think that I heard you saying my name and begging me not to stop," she purred into his ear. He shifted against her and growled low. His hands moved from her waist to grip her rear, nails digging into her flesh.

"Mm, and just why would I be saying such things?" She let her tongue caress his neck, leaning in and allowing her teeth to scrape against the soft flesh, eliciting a sharp breath from her lover. She laughed lightly against him, sending chills down his flesh.

"Now, I don't think it would be too hard to get that sort of reaction from you." His hands grabbed and massaged her and she moaned a light moan against him.

"Oh, I'm sure you could… But I believe that it would be even easier for _me_ to get that from _you_ , draga mea." She could hear the smirk in his voice and bit down hard on his neck. He let out a deep moan, hands grabbing her harder. She let his blood pour into her mouth for a moment, swallowing all of the hot liquid. Letting go of the grip she had on his neck, teeth sliding out of his flesh. She leaned back to grin at him. She licked excess blood from her lips and arched a brow.

His eyes narrowed into slits, the dark orbs behind lashes fiery with lust and need. Vlad felt his fangs elongate in his mouth, his most primal of senses begging his mind for the chance to dig into his mate's tender flesh. A blush crept over Seras' flesh under his gaze and she bit her bottom lip. She adjusted herself against his body, throwing a leg over his waist and allowing his manhood to rest against her own sex. She felt him push into her advances with his own, a chuckle falling from his lips as he rubbed himself against her. "You fell asleep last night before we even got a chance to celebrate my return," he cooed in false hurt.

"I was very tired," she spoke, her own words dripping seduction. "And hungry. What can I say? Besides, who doesn't like _celebrating_ when they first wake up?" Vlad chuckled again, his chest jumping against hers.

"I'm not sure I've got time to celebrate now. I do have important things to discuss with my servants, you know. Perhaps I'll just have to take a, what is it? Oh, that's right, a _rain check._ " He began to move away from her and she whined, pulling his body back to hers.

"Don't tease me like that."

"Who says I'm teasing? I have very pressing matters to attend to."

"Like what?" She pushed her face into his neck and nuzzled him.

"Such as reclaiming my throne and reassuming my position as king. Well, more-so reaffirming my position and making myself known as such to the world. I can't go around letting people think I don't exist, now, can I?" After a brief pause, he continued. "And I certainly can't go around letting people think that they don't have a Queen." Seras nearly jumped at the statement, having all but forgotten that she, as Vlad's mate, was also to be Queen of the same people he ruled over. _Her_ kind, _her_ people.

"Do you have to?"

"Have to?"

"Do you have to tell people?" Vlad looked down, confused, upon his small lover, her head buried against his throat. _Doesn't she want people to know that she is mine? And that I am hers?_

"Having second thoughts, are we?" he only half-joked. He felt her shake her head.

"It's not that."

"You needn't be shy about it. If you wish to leave me, _and all my power, I might add_ , I will hold no grudge," this time he fully teased her, intent on making her speak.

"I just… I don't think I can, you know, _be_ that." She took his silence as a him asking for her to go on. "I'm not authoritative. I was shit as a captain, a general, and a lieutenant for Hellsing. I can't enforce anything, I'm too much of a push over. And if I were queen, I would want to be a real queen. Not just a pretty thing sitting next to you. And that job entails authority and power, neither of which I can have nor command." He laughed and she furrowed her brow.

"Seras Victoria, you really believe that? You hold all of my powers, my strength. And yet you think that you can't command people? Darling, all you need to command somebody is either fear, or respect. Through fear you gain respect, and through respect, there is also fear. People fear you. And soon, when everybody knows your name, who you are, and what you can do – they will all come to either fear or respect you. That's all you need." He shook his head. "After all these years, you still act like a nervous child sometimes."

As odd as it was, as Seras listened to him speak, she heard the slight sound of an accent peeking through his words. _A lot of things about him are changing. Well, I suppose it isn't changing, but…_ "I can't help it," she said. She felt him kiss the top of her head and looked up.

"Kiss me, Seras." She obeyed and lifted herself up to kiss him, pressing her lips against his passionately.

* * *

Seras decided to accompany Vlad as he went to speak with… _whoever._ She couldn't understand anything that was said, not knowing the language, but Vlad never seemed to get upset or scare the girl he was talking to. It seemed calm, and so Seras was calm.

The whole place felt calm, and there wasn't many people in it, at least not with heartbeats. She sat next to Vlad, barely enough room left in the chair the both sat in for her. She rested her head against his chest, soothed by his hand on her waist. She closed her eyes and just listened to the two talk.

She almost fell asleep, but something nipped her ear and she groggily turned her head up to look at it. Vlad smirked at her before kissing her on the cheek. "What were you talking about?"

"Arrangements. I've scheduled a meeting with some people to announce my return. And yours," he nudged her, making her reposition herself on his lap.

"Oh, great," she sighed. " _Important_ people?"

"I suppose they are. Not really to me, though."

"Why do you say that?"

"They don't actually _do_ anything. They're just faces and names. Nothing important at all." He played with her hair for a moment before speaking again. "I'd like you to be there."

"Will you speak English?" He chuckled.

"I'll try." Seras sat up and wrapped an arm around him.

"What do you want to do now?" He hummed.

"Perhaps we could just spend the night visiting places. Surely you're hungry?" Seras nodded. Vlad smiled. "Then let's do that."

"Seras?" Her head turned away and towards the voice. "Seras where – oh, there you are." Vincent walked into the large room they were in, seemingly in a panic.

"What is it, Vincent?"

"I wanted to make sure you were still…" Vlad arched a brow. Vincent smiled. "Here. And not out, somewhere else."

"Why?" Seras didn't catch the small exchange between the men, and furrowed her brow.

"Oh," he walked forward. "No reason, I just wanted to spend some time with you. You're my favorite monster, after all." Seras laughed at him, her body shaking against her mate's.

"How sweet of you!"

"You know, I don't think we have any need for butlers anymore, Seras. In fact, I think we can just get rid of him now." Vincent glared and Vlad breathed in the air deeply. "Do you smell that? His blood doesn't seem half bad." Seras sighed and groaned.

"You two are so childish! Can't you just _act_ as though you like each other?"

"Quite the question! No, my little Draculina, we cannot. Or, I should say, _I_ cannot. That would be lying, and I don't like liars." The last three words fell from his lips slowly as he stared towards the former butler.

"Are you implying something?" he asked. Vlad simply smirked and shrugged.

"Please, I'm so sick of being the mother that has to keep you two from killing each other." She hopped from his lap, leaving him frowning.

"Now, now. We all know who would win in a fight." Vincent's eyes narrowed.

"Care to try one out and test your words?" he growled. Vlad hummed, smile ever present.

"Maybe another time."

"Oh, Vlad?" Seras asked, head cocked.

"Yes?"

"Where's your girlfriend supposed to be at? Isn't she supposed to be working or something, since, you know, she's a servant?" Bitterness laced all of her words as she thought of Catrina.

"You're right… I'd forgotten about her."

"I don't know how," she muttered. Vlad laughed.

"You're gorgeous when you're angry." She glared at him.

"Vincent, do you know – oh, Christ." Seras squinted in pain as her head throbbed, the pain of Pip waking up after a long sleep. Vlad stood, concerned, and Vincent stepped forward. She couldn't help herself as she fell, the room turning black and static-like. She felt arms catch her and a familiar voice ran through her ears.

"Well, well, well! What have I walked in on? Seras, you haven't been having fun without me, have you?" She opened her eyes to find a frowning Pip standing in front of her. She turned and saw that Vincent had caught her, Vlad standing impatiently beside them.

"You can let her go anytime, Vincent," he snarled, arms across his chest. Vincent laughed.

"Oh, I know." Seras pushed herself from him, quickly regaining her balance. She pointed a finger into Pip's face.

"You bastard!"

"What did I do?"

"You _threw_ yourself from my head like my brain was a god damn door! Have some manners!" Pip's eyebrows rose as his eyes left hers and went around the room.

"Where am I?"

"You know it hurts when you do that."

"Are we in Romania?" Pip looked to Vlad, who nodded. "Sensationnel… How long have we been here?"

"We just got here," Vlad said. Seras glared at him, still yelling at her familiar.

"Don't pay attention to him, pay attention to me! Apologize." Pip looked down at the angry blonde vampire, trying to keep from smiling as she growled.

"Je suis désolé, Seras. I'm sorry. Please, continue." He waved a hand dismissively towards her.

"Fuck you." She turned to Vlad. "You too. You're both rude."

"Oh, you're just hungry," he grinned at her. Pip moved around the room before exiting through the front door. Seras furrowed an eyebrow and crossed her arms as she leaned against the table.

"Where's he going?"

"Mon dieu! Is this yours, Alucard?" Pip phased halfway through the large doors, an amazed look plastered onto his face. Vlad nodded. "So that means it's mine, too, no?" He wiggled his eyebrows, motioning towards Seras with his head. Vlad sighed.

"No. You may sleep _inside_ of Seras' head, but you are _not_ Seras. I meant to speak to you about that, as well…" Pip phased fully through and into the room, and Seras looked toward Vlad quizzically.

"Oui?"

"No more of it."

"Ah, why not?" Pip cocked his head, eye narrowing. The vampire shrugged.

"You don't _need_ to, do you?"

"No, not all the time."

"Then you won't, all the time. You can have your own room now, and Seras and I get some privacy. Everybody wins." He grinned.

Pip had only just woken up from his long sleep, and already felt an intense suspicion. It was the same suspicion he felt time and time again with Alucard, with _Vlad._ He couldn't place it, the suspicion, but it was there. Before, he thought it had something to do with Integra, and now it was about Seras?

Perhaps, he thought, it had something to do with the both of them. He had thought Alucard had been involved, if not directly responsible for Integra's death, and the thought sparked in his mind. _Maybe he knows that I'm suspicious. Is that it? So he wants me out of Seras' mind, and away from her? I don't know if I'm comfortable with that. But best not to keep him on my trail._

"Sounds good to me," he said with a shrug. He lit up a cigarette and puffed. "If I get a big one."

"Pick your own, I don't mind. Seras and I are out to eat. Come on." He ushered Seras out the door, despite her refusals. Pip waited in silence in the foyer with Vincent until he was sure Vlad could no longer hear them.

"Vincent?" he asked, looking out into the darkness beyond the window.

"Yes?"

"Have you ever thought, just for a moment even, that _he_ did something to make this all happen?"

"Of course I have. But he couldn't have. The seals were too strong."

"Right." He hummed for a moment before turning and smiling towards the man. "Well, I'm off to find a room." Vincent nodded.

Pip phased into the upper floor, going in and out of rooms in search of anything he could use to find out the truth. Any documents, letters, journal entries, _anything._ Eventually, he found a room containing the vampires' coffins. Seras' sat next to her mate's; dwarfed by the size of the black and titanium box. He immediately moved over to it and tried to open it, biting down on his cigarette from the force he used. It didn't budge for several seconds, and he quickly lost hope. Just as he was about to let go, the lid shifted and he fell over pushing it off.

He cursed and righted himself again. "Dracula's coffin sure is full of junk, isn't it?" he whispered to himself, chuckling as he looked in. Odds and ends were strewn about it, shaken from travel. He searched through everything and found nothing. He had even searched Seras', just in case something was there, but nothing was. He sighed, slumped over on the ground against her coffin.

"Where would it be? Oh, what _is_ _ **it**_?" He closed his eyes and thought about what had happened. _Alucard came back. Bathory started targeting Integra. Alucard was supposed to have intercepted Bathory's first attack at that ball. He said he did, at least. But what if he didn't? And after that, no, before that, even, Integra didn't want Seras seeing him, being with him. Was that a motive? Or did he just want to be free? Then the attack on the manor. Everybody dead before we knew it, and he was nowhere to be found. Then Bathory herself made an appearance. He didn't want Seras to fight her, after she killed Integra. He didn't think she could? Or did he just want her to stay alive? No, obviously that's wrong, he would've stopped Seras from killing her._

 _With Integra dead, he could be both free and with Seras. But he obviously couldn't have done anything with his own hands, or powers. Obviously. Right? Wait._ His eye shot open. _Who was with Bathory that is still alive? Catrina!_ He stood up quickly. _She should know. If he had anything to do with it, he would've only kept her here to see if she would talk, oui?_

He got up and phased out of the room, searching in and out of rooms once again; for Catrina now. He found her shortly, dusting a table in a small room. Immediately he yelled. "Did he do it?" She jumped and squealed, the duster flying from her hand.

"What?"

"Don't play dumb. You know something, you have to. There's no reason for you to be alive if that wasn't the case. Tell me what you know."

"Well, well! The French boy's got an attitude? I've never seen this side of you, _Pippy!_ " She grinned at the familiar, sharp little teeth bared. He narrowed his eye and pulled a gun out of – seemingly – thin air. He aimed it towards her head. Her own eyes widened.

"Tell me or I'll kill you."

"You wouldn't."

"Why not? Nobody likes you. You're always so mean to Seras – why shouldn't I? Especially since you aided in the killing of teammates and friends."

"This is a side of you I've never seen before," she smiled.

"You haven't seen me fight. Listen," he stepped towards her, "you put Seras in danger, and I put _you_ in danger. Now, I'll give you two choices."

"Only two?" She raised an eyebrow.

"You tell _me_ , or you tell _her._ If the person she loves had anything to do with the _other_ person she loved? She deserves to know." He lowered the gun and it dissipated. "Look. I know something is wrong. I've thought I've known for a while, but now I _do_ know. I have nothing against you, or him, but Seras deserves the truth. I'm sure even he'd agree with that." _Hopefully she'll buy this. Tell Seras out of fear? Guilt? Ah, it doesn't matter any. If she tells, she tells. I'll find out somehow._

"Why do you want to know so badly? Can't you just believe what you want? Truth or no truth, ignorance is better. Why do you care?" Catrina stared at the one-eyed man for a while, before nodding. "You love her too? Hell, who doesn't here?" Pip smiled cheerily.

"For the record; she kissed me before him." He winked.

* * *

Vlad sat at the top of a hill, looking up at the moon as it faded over the horizon. He'd had his fill of blood, at least for the moment. Seras laid at the bottom of the hill. She'd drank as well, but mostly to make him happy. He knew it, too. But, it _did_ make him happy to see her feed.

He still remembered when she refused to drink medical blood, and seeing her drink from living people? Bleeding them dry? It pleased him, to say the least. Sometimes, it sparked the fires of lust, but most times it sparked something more akin to pride, parental happiness.

He'd felt that earlier, watching her pick her prey, steal them away, and feed from them. He'd smiled to himself as he ate his own meals. He could _feel_ her energy replenishing, growing, sparking, shocking through their bond. He couldn't tell whether the bond had gotten stronger or weaker since she drank his blood. She hadn't changed much at all, from what he could tell, and he was grateful. He enjoyed Seras the way she was. He would have even been content if she had refused to drink from the living. He wouldn't have liked it, nor approved, but content.

He wondered briefly if he was changing. He noticed her occasional stares, the ones she made without thinking about it, thinking about something else. He'd looked in a mirror while they were feeding. He thought he looked normal, but he also _knew_ that the more he drank, the more his body would return to its original form. He felt stronger, and looked it. Honestly, he didn't mind either form, or _any_ form for that case. He always saw himself as himself.

Seras gave a small noise as a meteor flew over them, her eyes wide. He smiled softly before calling out to her. "Come up here, Seras." She turned her head towards him before shaking it.

"You come down here. It's too much work to go up. Just _roll_ down."

"I'll pass."

"The way you talk is weird."

"How so?" She kept her gaze to the stars.

"Sometimes you speak so eloquently, and other times you sound like a normal person. It's weird to hear you saying normal phrases." He chuckled a bit and she scrunched up her nose. She raised a hand toward the sky and peered at the stars through outstretched fingers. Her gaze flitted to the ring on her finger and she remembered the bitter-sweet night before. "Do you think I'd still be the person I am now if you never killed me?"

He fought the urge to cringe when she said it, "I didn't _kill_ you, Seras. You're still here, aren't you? I merely gave you a new life to lead." He pondered her question for a few seconds, staring at her hand in the air. "Yes, I think you would be. You haven't changed, just been put in different circumstances. You react to different scenarios differently. Little bits of you have _evolved_. You've grown; not changed." Seras nodded, seemingly content with the answer

"What about you? Do you think you've changed at all?"

He breathed in deeply and fell back on the grass. "Sometimes, I wonder. But then something happens and I find that I haven't reacted any differently than I would have another time. Overall, I think not. But in some ways, I think I have. Or perhaps I haven't, who knows?"

"Well, you're calmer now that you're free. You're not so tense and angry all the time."

"I wasn't those things before. I haven't the faintest idea what you're talking about."

"Shall I list the times that you've grabbed me by my collar or screamed in my face? Just a hint, most of them took place during our first year together.

"Seras, just get up here."

"Why?" she whispered. He didn't reply and she sighed, getting up to her feet and making her way up the short hill. She sat next to him as he lay, his eyes closed now. She placed her small hands on his chest and leaned down to kiss him lightly on the lips. His eyes opened as she took her lips away.

"Seras, would you ever leave me?" She smiled, bright eyes twinkling.

"Of course not. I love you too much." Her words didn't make him feel any better, not that he felt bad before. He knew she would never find out; he would never tell, and Catrina would be a pile of ash before she could open her mouth to do something like that.

* * *

She smiled as she laid in their bed, wrapped up in the sheets like a caterpillar. Vlad lay next to her, arms around her waist, face pushed into her neck. He planted small kisses on her skin lazily, nothing else on his mind. Seras wasn't quite thinking either, more enjoying the moment. Both of their minds were blank, and with such a dull night, Seras was in a lazy mood. She purred as her mate bit her gently, his hands gently pressing into her.

"Seras…"

"Hm?" She pushed herself harder against his body.

"I'm hungry." She laughed lightly.

"We just ate." He chuckled, his breath crawling over her cold skin.

"No, no. For something else…" He pulled her closer to him and licked up her neck.

"Really? You didn't want any of that earlier, but now you do? I just don't know if I have the," she stretched, bringing her face to his as she turned around, "energy." Their noses brushed and she smiled. "But maybe I could find some." She pushed her way past the blankets and placed her leg on his.

"If you can't, I can always just take advantage of you. I'll do all the work, I promise," he grinned. She pushed herself up on her hands to pull herself onto his lap.

"I don't think you'll have to do that." She rubbed against him once and leaned down to kiss his cheek. He bit his bottom lip and returned the motion she gave him.

They spent hours playing and cuddling and kissing until the sun was high in the sky. Until they both fell asleep close to each other.

* * *

 _ **Ferne's Thoughts:**_ Super quickie! I wrote the last few parts of this with my brain all fuzzy and tired from school, but I hope you enjoy!


	29. For The First Time

_**Ferne's Thoughts:**_ _OMG guys! It's been what, months? Jesus fucking Christ I'm so sorry! My Word expired, and I got caught up in school, and we went on vacation, and I got a bit sick, and so many other things have been going on in my life. Actually, today, my dog got ran over and killed by some stupid speeding teenagers. For some reason, that really prompted me to write. I had to, I needed to get a chapter out to you guys. This is four months in the making! Also, I have a note at the bottom as well. Happy reading, my li'l potted Ferns!_

* * *

Days and nights passed by in a smooth calmness. There were no fights, no arguments, no dramatic revelations; it was perfect. Seras and Vlad enjoyed each other's company, both in the halls of his chateau and the rolling hills of his countryside. Together they picked off lives and populations of small towns, until all nearby humans were made aware of their presence. It was something Vlad wanted, _craved,_ even. He wanted humans to know about him, about them, to live in fear like they used to.

"In the olden days," he said to Seras once she expressed concern, "humans lived in perpetual fear. In fear they wouldn't overstep; they knew their places. Both as cattle and as servants."

"How cruel," she'd exclaimed, nearly sickened by his nonchalance, before remembering that she too contributed to the death of said humans. Vlad had merely shrugged.

"Why? There _is_ a hierarchy, Seras. Once you accept that you're at the top, things will only get easier."

Weeks passed by, and Seras was made extremely aware of the meeting Vlad had arranged. He referred to it as her "coming-out," the night the Nosferatu population would be introduced to their new Queen and their long-lost King. She would have to speak to them, answer questions, assert her dominance; all in one night as her nerves ate her alive. She knew they would, more so than ever as the night approached.

She spent the week coming up to it practicing with Pip and Catrina, in between enjoying her fairy-tale life. And a fairy-tale it was; nobody close to her had been killed, she was allowed – and encouraged – to spend all the time she could with her mate, everybody seemed to be coexisting happily. She was happy.

Every morning, she fell asleep curled next to Vlad, in his arms or on his chest. She was lulled into dreams by his soothing breathing, his soft heartbeat, his gentle strokes and kisses. Vlad had controlled his temper towards Vincent, and vice versa. Catrina hadn't insulted Seras to her face, though she had walked through halls to the light sound of hushed laughter. It stopped with a simple look in their direction, the servants it came from silencing with a fearful pallor. Seras loved it, though she didn't want to.

She didn't want to like the fear towards her. She didn't want… _to be like Vlad._ Not that way. Sure, she respected the influence he had over people, and the way he carried himself so regally, but she didn't want to enjoy hurting people the way he did. She didn't want to enjoy scaring them. After 30 years of vampiric living, she'd held onto her humanity. To her, enjoying such cruel things would be an eviction of that humanity.

Overall, things had changed. Though Seras hadn't realized it before, change was something she horribly needed in her life. After so many decades of living according to a tight regime, a strict schedule, now she lived according to her own rules. There was no schedule, no regime, no rules. She lived blissfully with her mate, and he with she.

For him, though, worries plagued him every second they were apart. When they were together, he controlled the situation. He was aware and in charge of what was said to her, what she knew, what she did. He had control. Seras wouldn't be made aware of anything he didn't want her to be while she was with him. While they were apart though, he could only hope that Seras was ignorant of things he wanted her to be.

It was unhealthy, he knew, for him to be so worrisome of such things. As every day passed, he considered telling her of his main concern. He considered telling Seras himself, of Integra and his role in her death. But this consideration was fairly fleeting, never solid in his mind. He swore to never allow her the knowledge of his role, at least not from himself. There was always the threat of her learning from another person. _Catrina,_ he thought. He made sure to keep a close eye on her when his mind wasn't preoccupied with other worries. Not to mention the initiative he had given her to keep her mouth shut; he still felt the quiet thumping of anxiety blooming in his chest when he walked in to find the two alone in a room or hallway.

He kept all of these feelings well concealed however, behind an emotionless mask, as he had hidden most things. Though these worries and feelings fluttered about both in his head and chest, they didn't bother him much. He found himself to be more worried about Seras' coming out.

Only a day away, he sat on their bed as she paced in front of him.

"I'm not ready," she said. His eyes followed her form as she threw her head up and sighed, turning on her heel to look into his amused eyes.

"Are you ever?" Sighing once more, she shook her head. She pulled her hair up, placing it into a messy pony-tail before taking a seat next to him. He kept his eyes where she had stood. "Seras, you don't need to worry about anything. You'll do fine."

"Nobody will like me." Vlad laughed and placed an arm around her waist as she whined.

"You're such a child, Seras. Nobody needs to like you, in fact," he placed his head upon hers, "it's much better if they actively _dislike_ you."

"You keep saying that." He allowed his fingers to caress her hand as he leaned down to kiss her cheek.

"Perhaps I say it because it's the truth, Seras. Don't worry yourself over such idiotic things."

"It's not idiotic."

"Impressing people who only live to serve under you? Yes, to me that sounds like something an idiot would do. I suppose it makes sense that you would do it." His teasing nearly went over Seras' head, her mind focused on the seriousness of the night ahead.

"Vlad, what if I make a fool of myself? Or you?" Vlad smirked.

"Then I suppose I'll have to leave no witnesses, won't I?" Seras leaned back to glare at him, unable to hold the pose for long. A smile pushed its way to the surface as she laughed. Happiness pushed through her nervousness, and shone through her eyes. Vlad admired it for a moment, before arching an eyebrow and leaning in closer.

"You wouldn't do something like that," she said, eyes darting from his to his lips.

"Oh, believe me, I would. If you asked, I'd do anything." He came closer.

"You'd kill for me?" Their noses brushed.

"I'd obliterate this world twice over for you, draga mea."

"How… romantic." The words tumbled from her lips as his own pressed against them.

His hands traveled to her waist, his grip tight as he pulled her roughly towards him, a carnal need begging to be fulfilled. She moaned against him, and he purred against her. Her hands made their way to his hair, fingers tangling in the thick waves. Now and then, she would pull, making him growl with pleasure.

He pushed her down with his body, his leg coming between hers, his knee spreading them to give him room on top of her. Their lips broke from each other, and Seras laughed.

"How can you change my mood so quickly?" she asked, nearly a whisper.

"I often wonder the same about you, _Police Girl,_ " he drawled. She kissed him on a cold cheek before allowing her hands to run along his chest. Her fingers slowly undid his shirt, and she slid her hands under it as well.

"If you call me that one more time, Vlad, I swear I'll-"

"You'll what? Kill me? Oh, I think a fight with you would only turn me on more." He grinned down at her and she narrowed her eyes.

"Actually, I meant that I would do… this." She leaned up to him and quickly sank her teeth into his neck. He gasped in surprise before letting go a low groan. He wrapped his arms around her back, lifting her up to get a better angle.

Euphoria ran through his veins as she suckled at his neck. Her teeth clamped harder on his flesh, allowing more blood to pour into her mouth. Her hands clawed at his back and she mewed against the heavy flow of the delicious liquid. Vlad's breath quickened, and lust pushed through his body, releasing itself in the form of heavy sighs and moans.

His own teeth gritted against each other as he tried to maintain his composure. "Harder," he said through clenched teeth. Seras obliged almost immediately, grip on his neck tightening, deliciously so. Her fingers also dug deeper into his skin, only adding to the pleasure. Suddenly, he flipped her over, leaving her on top. Surprised, she let go of him. She looked around, disoriented. Vlad stared at her, eyes full of lust. He licked his lips at the sight of her, blood dripping from her lips. Her small tongue darted out to lap it up. Suddenly, his trousers were much too tight.

He pulled the unbuttoned shirt from his shoulders and reached between Seras' thighs to unbutton his trousers as well. "Do you want me to get off?" Seras asked, finger playing with her lip.

"Oh, darling, you know I do." Seras laughed, smiling as she lifted herself from his lap.

"Not what I meant, but I'm glad." With her off, he pulled the remainder of his clothes off. Seras too, played with the straps of her nightgown before being ushered from the act by Vlad.

"Let me."

As he peeled her clothes off, he laid little kisses on every inch he exposed, sending chills down her flesh.

The night went by in a flash, and by the time the couple had fallen asleep, Seras had all but forgotten about the events that laid before her for the next.

* * *

Seras stared at the image before her. The more she looked, the more she noticed the differences in it from what she remembered.

Pale skin was like milk, smooth and youthful. It was the epitome of perfection, the white flesh smoothing over delicately angled bones and creating gorgeous shadows.

Eyes were the deepest shade of crimson, innocent yet full of unknown wisdom. Framing them were thick lashes, dark, but not black.

Lips, full and pink. The lightest blush crept over the neighboring cheeks, nearly undetectable.

The hair framing the face was blonde; lighter in some places and darker in others. It shone brightly, and as she reached up to touch it and noticed it was softer than she'd remembered. Her hair was worn in her usual way – messy and casual. Though her hair had grown, she kept it around her shoulders, and no longer. Unsure if she wanted her bangs to grow as well, she let them remain at their usual length.

She sighed and with a realization, blinked. She looked human. Well, aside from the cherry red eyes, she looked so similar to the way she did when she was human. The blush, the hair, the skin; all of it looked alive. _She_ looked alive.

 _It's the blood,_ she thought. _Human blood, fresh. I've been drinking so often. It's affected me too, not just Vlad. That's bloody weird._ She turned around to lean against the dresser she had been staring into. _I didn't know that could happen to me. I hadn't even noticed I looked different. It's been so long, I guess._

The door of her room opened and shut with a light thud and she poked her head out of the door frame. Vlad's form quickly came into view as he walked down the hall. He smiled to her and she gave a nervous one back.

"Are you ready?"

"Physically or mentally?" He cocked his head and smirked.

"Are you dressed?" Nodding, she side stepped into view, exposing her outfit to him.

While shopping, she had thought of what a Queen would wear, and the only images her head conjured were those of her own 90-year-old one, dressing in boxy pastel dresses and fluffy hats. She enlisted Pip for help. She ended up coming to an elegant conclusion after several hours.

She donned a black lace dress. A deep, sharp, sweetheart cut cradled her almost-too-big breasts. Lace peaked over the edges of the cut, creating elegant shadows on her chest. The dress was held up by this straps on either shoulder, and more lace traveled down her arms as thin sleeves, ending past her elbows. Her waist was cinched in with a black skinny belt – a single red gem in the center of it. The bottom of the dress bounced out, giving her the ultimate hourglass shape – the one she had naturally but had trouble showing off. The skirt of the dress cut off mid-thigh, accentuating her shapely legs. The dress was also complete with a long lace train, giving her an ultimately elegant look.

She hadn't picked the dress out at first though, as she wasn't a fan of the lace. _It itches,_ she told Pip as he ogled it on her in the store. _Oui, oui,_ he'd said, nodding his head, _but it looks amazing. You want to impress them, no?_

Seras wasn't typically one for jewelry, only wearing the ring Vlad had given her, and a pair of dangling ruby earrings. A thin velvet choker sat upon her neck, carefully avoiding the scars on her neck. Though, sometimes, she wished she had some sort of way to cover the scars Vlad had left after he turned her. When she thought that, it always seemed like a betraying thought, as if not wanting the scars to show indicated her distaste towards her mate and former Master. That wasn't the case, of course, but she had a feeling their guests would think otherwise. So, on this night, she let the dark scars show proudly.

Her makeup was basic, only accentuating her attributes. She didn't need much anyway. She didn't have imperfections or dark circles anymore. And above that, she didn't even know how the people would view her. Perhaps they'd think she tried too hard, or didn't try hard enough, or-

"Are you trying to impress somebody?" Seras glared at her mate and he grinned.

"Perhaps I'm trying to impress the _dozens of fancy vampires downstairs,"_ she growled slowly, while moving to slip some basic black heels on. Vlad hummed against the door frame before cracking his neck and stretching. "Look at you! You're not even dressed!"

And he wasn't. He was still wearing the clothes he had slept in- with the addition of his boots; a worn in white shirt, unbuttoned to nearly mid-chest and hanging loosely, black pants. His hair hung in waves around his shoulders and in the dim candle light of the boudoir, it shone with a nearly angelic halo. Seras smiled slightly at the thought- _Vlad? An angel? The devil himself, more like._

He looked to her in false alarm before looking to his attire. "What? Oh dear, I'd thought I was in a beautiful gown! It's a mystery as to how I came to be out if it," he pulled at his shirt and furrowed his brow as he bit his lip. After a moment of feeling Seras' eyes shooting daggers into his side, he looked up with a smile. "Oh well. I suppose I'll just have to improvise."

Improvise, he did, as coils of dark shadows crawled up his body. The smoky wisps made their way up his every limb, over every inch of him as Seras watched in intrigue. She folded her arms in waiting.

Vlad appeared once again with a grin, only this time, he was dressed in more appropriate attire. A red jacquard double buttoned vest rested nicely against a black silk-like undershirt. Instead of his normal crimson cravat, he wore a silk style black one, nicely complementing the rest of his upper body. On his lower body, he wore black dress pants and – of course – those same boots. Seras wanted to roll her eyes upon seeing them, but really, what else should one expect from the vampire king? His hair was tied back loosely with a short black ribbon.

It occurred to Seras that she had very rarely seen him with his hair pulled back. She liked it, she decided. She smiled at him and walked forward towards him. Beneath her, the hum of a crowd was growing and she didn't bother trying to understand anything that was being said. Her heels clacked against the floor in quiet succession until she stood in front of Vlad. She reached her arms around his neck and placed her head on his chest. "What if I do something wrong?" she whispered. He placed a hand on her lower back.

"We've gone over this, Seras. You won't."

"I will, I know it."

"You are so unsure of yourself, it's astonishing. When you were on missions, you never said these things."

"That's because I was killing things, not impressing people."

"You don't need to bother about impressing people. They are your subjects, they are my subjects. Impressing them isn't an issue. We're simply telling them that you exist, as do I, and that we will maintain order for our kind from now on. It is more about establishing dominance and less about impressing unimportant people." She sighed in his arms and looked up.

"What if I can't even do that?" While Vlad knew Seras would do everything perfectly, he simply said what she wanted to hear to get her going.

"Are you going to try?" She nodded. "Then that's all you can do. If you tried, that's all that counts." He nearly cringed from saying something so cliché and sympathetic. She smiled, though, and nodded. "Now, are you ready?"

She sighed once more and looked around the room before smoothing her skirt nervously. "Yes," she smiled.

As they turned to leave the room, Seras grabbed her mate's hand tightly.

* * *

Pip listened to the thrum of guests below him as he strolled the halls. He knew it was about time for the night to start, and was on his way to wish Seras luck. He would have gone, he was invited to – albeit begrudgingly – accompany them by Alucard, but he declined. He wanted to spend the time the night gave him to find out some information regarding Integra and Alucard's involvement in her sudden death. Though he had found nothing concrete in the few months they'd lived together, he hadn't had adequate time to search or speak to the one person who might give him such vital information.

Catrina was close to Vincent, from the beginning. And Pip had already been close enough to Vincent, so slowly but surely, he weened himself off of spending time around Seras and her mate, changing his company to Vincent and Catrina. They'd become as close friends as a group could be, even though for Pip, his end with Catrina was false. But both Catrina and Vincent would be working the kitchen during the night, and he had already planned to get Catrina alone.

He rounded a corner and saw Alucard and Seras walking from their room. He called out to her, walking with his hands in his pockets. She turned and he was nearly struck by her beauty. Subtle fear and excitement in the crimson pools of her eyes shone brilliantly. She was glowing from head to toe and looked like a queen. _I suppose she is, though,_ he thought. His chest ached for a moment, but soon after, the ache disappeared. He made his way to her quickly.

"You look beautiful, cherie. Absolutely stunning. I knew that dress was the right choice! Pip is never wrong," the Frenchman winked at her. She smiled and laughed.

"Thank you, Pip. I'm nervous though."

"Well, it's a good thing I came to wish you luck then, eh?" She smiled wider, his words bringing joy to her face and heart. She began to speak to him telepathically.

 _Hopefully it works. I need all I can get._

 _ **Why do you say that?**_

 _I don't know. I've never been around so many other vampires. It's intimidating._

 _ **You're around the most intimidating creature on earth. You sleep with him, for Christ sake! Seras, get over it.**_ She sighed angrily. _**You've never been like this. It'll be fine. And if anybody bugs you, just kill 'em!**_

"I will not!" she gasped.

"Then have lover-boy over there do it for you. You'll do great." He leaned in to hug her and whispered in her ear. "Give 'em hell, Seras. Show them who the real Seras Victoria is. That she's not one to be messed with. Make me proud." She laughed.

"Christ, Pip!" She pulled away. "I'll be sure to."

"Seras," Alucard said. "We need to go." She pulled away and rolled her eyes.

"Alright, I'm coming." She turned to walk away before calling out to Pip. "Have a nice night, Pip!" He nodded his head politely, standing next to their bedroom. He watched them walk away before entering.

He rummaged through everything, careful to show no signs of interruption. He went through books, notes, and letters to no avail. He had already searched every inch of the room dozens of times before. He sighed. "What did I expect?" As he moved towards the door, he thought of Catrina. He turned to the large clock in the room as it chimed. _10 pm. It may be a little early, but…_

He left the room and made his way for the kitchen.

* * *

Catrina ran the kitchen with an iron fist. During her stay, she had become the head of everything servants were to do – preparing meals, cleaning, ensuring the comfort of the Master, the Lady, and their guests, etc. She was the most used to serving others, the most experienced in the area. The others hadn't served under a master or mistress, of the caliber of the ones they now did, in all their lives. They were young, in their early teens. Catrina thought they would be easy to train, but despite their eagerness to work and age, they weren't often eager to learn.

Serving humans was something they were used to, having travelers stay with them, or while they were being trained by their families. Humans were easy, Catrina had told them. "But vampires are harder."

Serving vampires was not only stressful, but emotionally and mentally difficult. Vampires, especially the nobles and higher class vampires, were quick to lose their tempers. Working under Elizabeth Bathory, she had seen many a young servant lose their heads, their hearts, their hands, their eyes… Punishments dealt by an upset vampire were harsh, but she had learned to not make mistakes. She intended to teach the young girls the same. But on this night, she hadn't made much progress at all. She decided to just set them on the sidelines in the kitchen.

If one of the girls at her side intended to touch something without and order or permission, she'd smack the pale hand away with a light hiss. Vincent helped her, though, more used to feeding vampires. Though he had dealt with cold medical bags, blood was something he was used to seeing. Though he didn't agree with what was happening, and would stop it if he could, he did help Catrina fill the glasses.

In the kitchen, bodies were strung upside down from the ceiling. The room resembled a slaughterhouse, with blood, intestines and gore, and stripped corpses littering the floor. The bodies hanging from the ceiling struggled against their bonds, tears falling from their eyes as muffled screams begged to be let out from their gags.

Every single body was different. Some were men, some women, some children. Some were A+, some B-, some O. Some were older, some younger, some almost too young to bear. Not only were they in the kitchen, but they filled a room close by; 17 people wasn't nearly enough. 8 pints a person, 2 glasses per pint… No, 17 people wouldn't be enough. They had prepared 272 glasses, at around 2 glasses per vampire, and during the opening ceremony there were 150 people. After the ceremony and during the conference, there would be 25 people, including the King and Seras… Catrina's head was about to explode.

She leaned in closer to a blonde boy and slit his quivering throat smoothly. She watched, licking her lips, as the dark liquid swam from the gash, over his face, and into the barrel below him. His small body flopped and thrashed in the chains, eyes wide in pain. She traced his abdomen with the knife in contemplation as she stared into the dying eyes. The light from the warm hazel orbs grew cold and dim gradually, until the blood gave its last drip from his pale face. She smiled and turned to the others in the room.

"Now, I want one of you to take him down and dispose of him, one of you to fill a few glasses, and one of you to do _her_ ," she pointed to the shaking brunette in the corner. The girls nodded, and immediately went to the jobs they wanted. The tallest went for the body, pulling the naked boy from the chains and removing the gag from his mouth and rope from his wrists. She carried the sticky red and white body to the disposal room. A blonde girl went to the blood barrel and used the serving ladle to scoop the steaming blood into glasses. At the brunette woman was a short redhead girl who looked a bit confused. Catrina went to her aid.

The woman was trying to beg the girl to free her, and the girl didn't understand why the woman thrashed so much. To the girl, this was normal. She'd seen it happen at other parties and didn't understand why the woman fought. Catrina came to the girl with the same knife she used on the little boy. She placed it into the girl's hand. The girl looked up at her. "Why is she acting so weird? Why doesn't she just close her eyes?"

"She doesn't want to die and doesn't want to believe she's going to, that's why." The small girl narrowed her eyes towards the woman.

"But everybody dies. It's her turn. She needs to feed the Elders and the Masters." Catrina smiled, unused to hearing those terms since her time with Bathory.

"That's right, she does. Now go ahead and cut her, right at the throat, so she can. You want to impress them, the Masters, don't you?" The girl nodded. "Then go ahead, just like I've been showing you all."

And, so, the little girl did. She gave a small giggle as she sliced the warm flesh of the strung-up woman, when the blood squirted onto her cheek. She wiped it away from her cheek and licked it off her fingers, her dull pink-red eyes glowing.

The door to the kitchen creaked open, and as she expected the girl who'd disposed of the boy, she turned only to see Pip walking in. "Bonjour ma belle," he said. She disregarded him and went on to clean some of the knives she'd used. "Mon dieu!" he cried out upon noticing the gore around the room. "What the hell is going on!"

"How do you expect us to give them refreshments? Send out bottles of water?"

"Well, no, but… Christ this is something from a nightmare."

"Life is a nightmare then," she sighed and dried off the tools. She leaned against the cool granite countertop with a hand on her hip. "What did you want?"

"I wanted to see when you would finish up in here. I wanted to spend some… time with you." His voice lowered to a smooth purr and she cocked her head.

"Time?"

"Mhm."

Over the months, she had grown close to Pip. She had learned about his life, and through his own, learned about Seras'. Through him, she had lost her hatred of the girl, and began to see her more as a person than an enemy. More than that though, she'd began to see Seras as an attractive creature.

She had admired the way she walked, spoke, laughed, and even the way her back arched while her body became entangled with the King's on the couches and beds and the floor and in the garden and… She had developed a crush. A hate fueled crush, but one nonetheless. Pip was one of her best friends, though she wasn't sure if she would confess her feelings to him, with his relationship to the woman. That was another secret she would have to conceal from him, she'd decided.

"Time… Sure. I think the girls have got it down in here. And if not, Vincent can help."

"No," the English butler called from his place in the corner. He was inspecting his nails to avert his eyes from the horrors taking place. The putrid smell of murder reached him though, as if there was no escape. He sighed and looked up over his spectacles. "Fine, I'll make sure nothing goes wrong. But I am not contributing. I'll fill the glasses or something." She smiled at him.

"Thank you."

Catrina and Pip exited the kitchen side by side.

* * *

Vlad walked Seras into the large ballroom and immediately recognized the faces in the room before him. Over one hundred sets of eyes of all shades of red made their way to the pair. The dull roar of the room settled into silence and, as if a wave in the sea, the all bowed and curtseyed to show their respect. Seras was in awe of the grace of it all, while Vlad was simply pleased.

 _Finally,_ he thought. _A king being treated as such; the way it should be._ He smiled in satisfaction and walked down the staircase that led to the crowd of people – no, _subjects -_ below. He walked with Seras cradled against him, his arm around her waist. The pair stopped walking several feet from the crowd.

"It's been quite a while since I've seen you all, around 200 years for some of you! I'm glad you've come to see me reclaim my rightful place as your king. But this night is not just for me, but for another as well. This," he motioned to Seras, "is Seras Victoria. Our queen, my love, my mate, and my wife."

As Vlad spoke, Seras moved her eyes from the floor to look around the room. As he declared her his mate, and his _love_ , gasps made their way through the crowd. They knew he would be declaring a queen to sit by his side, most of them, but she supposed they didn't think he had any feelings for the queen he would be electing.

As she looked around the room, she noticed that the people in the crowd were dressed in all sorts of fashions, ranging from corsets and bright blush to high collars and velvet coats. She could almost tell who the more important ones were, she thought. She was told there were around 30 of them that would be joining her and Vlad at the "conference," a sort of meeting to discuss matters in the vampire world and for her to become familiar with the Elders – the oldest and most distinguished of the vampire community.

Seras continued looking around the room as Vlad continued to speak. She looked to all the eyes, all different shades of red. Some shades were absolutely breathtaking to her, while others were muddled and dull. All eyes were on her mate – except for one pair. One pair of deep magenta eyes sat on her, and she met them. She nearly jumped before remembering to keep her cool. _What in the bloody hell?_

She narrowed her eyes while keeping her gaze on them. She moved her eyes from the others and to the body they belonged to. They belonged to a handsome blonde man, close to her appeared age. His lips rested in a small smirk, and once he realized she was examining him, an eyebrow arched. He raised a hand slightly in a form of silent greeting. The same hand took on a puppet-like form. He rolled his eyes and made it move, as if the hand was speaking. His head moved with the motion of his hand in a comedic motion and Seras realized the man was mocking Vlad's speech. She contained her laughter but barely suppressed her smile, resorting to biting her lips together. The man smiled back.

"…and Sebastian, is there any reason at all why you're being an idiot?" Seras' head turned to her husband and she saw that he was looking at the man she had been. The blonde man, Sebastian, turned his head quickly and raised his eyebrows.

"Hm?" he said, over the crowd. He looked around before pointing to himself. "Me? An idiot? Lacking of intelligence? No, never." He smiled proudly to the towards the vampire in front of him. The crowd had now turned its attention over to Sebastian.

Seras looked between the two men as they exchanged words. "Oh, it seems that I'd forgotten. You're nothing _but_ an idiot." Sebastian laughed and shrugged.

"You may be right."

"If I'm boring you perhaps I should stop talking and we should get on with things, then?"

"Oh, my lord, you can do whatever you think is the best," Sebastian said, words dripping with pleasantness. Vlad chuckled lightly before looking to Seras.

"Then that's what we shall do." He walked her down into the crowd. Almost as if a switch had been flipped, the conversations bubbled back up again. Vlad leaned down to whisper in Seras' ear. "It's not so bad, is it?" She shook her head.

"I have to meet people though, don't I?" Immediately after the words came from her lips, they came to meet his. She smiled underneath the kiss and pushed into it. She almost felt the energy in the room disappear to leave just her and Vlad, until he pulled away and it all rushed back to her. She sighed and pushed some hair from her face before turning around.

"Well, Vlad, it is certainly refreshing to see you again!" Sebastian grinned towards the couple. "And with such a beautiful woman in tow, I'm jealous." Vlad slowly moved to look at him. He arched an eyebrow. "You haven't even killed anybody yet." Sebastian moved closer and leaned in, placing a hand to one side of his mouth in a false attempt to hush his voice. "You haven't gone soft, have you?" Vlad laughed.

"Would you like me to make an example of you?"

"No, I'd really rather you didn't." He turned his attention to Seras. "But hello, I don't believe we've met." He gave a quick bow before taking her hand and placing a small kiss on the top of it. He smiled as he came back up. Vlad glared at the man but made no effort to stop him. "My name is Sebastian St. James. And you are the infamous Seras Victoria. You know, I've heard that you're almost as ruthless as my king here, is that true?"

Seras smiled. "Well, I suppose I did pick up some things from him along the way."

"I guess I'll just have to wait and see. I have heard, however, that Elizabeth was killed by her. Is that true?" He asked Vlad.

"Nothing but true. She ripped the woman apart. It was one of the most glorious things I've ever seen." As he praised her, she felt a warmth fill up her chest. She smiled up at him.

"She had it coming. I'd kill anybody who even talked about hurting the people I love." Vlad blinked and narrowed his eyes for a moment before biting his cheek and looking down at her.

"So sentimental. That's going to be your weakness, draga mea."

"Better than being cold and distant."

"Oh, is it?" he laughed.

"Oh, no," Sebastian interjected, "have I started a lover's quarrel? It was not my intention, I assure you." Seras shook her head and smiled back to the handsome man. His eyes were so brilliant, so happy looking. She almost asked him who made him before she came to the realization that that might be a rude question in vampire society.

* * *

After meeting Sebastian properly, Vlad took her to meet some other people. Everybody was very polite, very kind to her. She almost wondered why she'd been so nervous in the first place. She did notice several jealous glances, some harsh whispers about her, but she tried to pay them no mind. She met people and was amazed by their loyalty to her former master, amazed by their newfound loyalty to her. Eventually, Vlad allowed her to venture on her own. She came across several people who were open about their distaste towards her. She remained calm, but gave them biting words and tried her best to put them in their places. More often than not, she'd left them huffing and fuming. _But they can't hit me. If they did, they'd either have to face me, or Vlad. They wouldn't want that, not on the King's first official night back._

She had come to notice that she could tell who was fledged to who, by smell and eye color. The fledglings had the same, or close to the same, eye color as their masters. Their smells were similar too. With mates it was even easier, they shared each other's scent more distinctly, and were extremely possessive. She wondered if Vlad smelled like her, or vice versa, and for how long. Was it a gradual smell, or a sudden smell that came upon them after their initial meeting, once he'd come back? She'd never met anybody to ask before, and didn't want to ask now.

She still wondered a few things, as she walked around, greeting people. Mundane things, probably idiotic things, like if her and Vlad would sit on thrones or if she would have to wear corsets and heels all the time. She chuckled to herself. _Of course not… Right?_ She watched as people walked by, glasses filled with red in their hands. She could smell the blood everywhere, and could distinctly trace it to the kitchen, leading out of the ballroom. She didn't want to think about why the smell was so potent. It would have made her hungrier, had she not been eating so regularly with Vlad. Eventually she just stood in place by the farthest wall and watched the crowd. Vlad was speaking with some old friends, it looked like. She stood and enjoyed watching the crowd.

She was brought back to memories of the ball back at Hellsing Manor. She thought of dancing with Vlad, back when Vlad was Alucard and still utterly emotionally confusing. She thought of Heinkel, her high-pitched voice, and her eagerness to fight, when suddenly she had an itch. An itch she couldn't scratch, an itch inside. An itch… to fight again. She was snapped from her thoughts by a voice.

"Hello." Her eyes moved towards the voice. The voice belonged to a red haired woman. Her hair was pinned up in loose coils all around her head. Her skin was so pale it seemed to glow, and her eyes were wide and dark. The red was nearly black and Seras was captivated by the beautiful creature they belonged to. The woman was tall, several inches taller than herself and as she looked up, she caught the sickly pleasant smile the woman gave her.

"Hello," she said back.

"My name is Sulpicia, Childe of Caius Mycenae, though, I'm sure you don't know who that is." Seras shook her head with a polite smile. "As I thought. You'll learn things along the way, I suppose. Mind if I stand with you?"

"No, go ahead." Sulpicia smiled at Seras.

"Was it Seras?" Seras nodded. "Well, I have to call you 'my lady' or something like that, anyway. How long have you known Vlad?" Seras cocked her head at the mention of her mate.

"31 years, I suppose it's been. Though he was absent for 30." Sulpicia laughed.

"Ah, yes! That's back when we'd heard that the king had finally been defeated," she nodded.

"Yes. He saved my life when he turned me, though I hadn't always seen it that way."

"In our early years eternity can seem like… eternity." She sighed. "Did you always know you loved him?" Seras looked to the taller woman for a moment before answering.

"No."

"Did you always love him?"

"No. I admired him, and feared him in ways, but I don't think it was until after I was alone that I realized I had feelings for him outside of being his fledgling. I certainly didn't think he'd reciprocate, by any means."

"Love is found in the most unworthy of people, I suppose. But what can you do? Love comes in mysterious ways, as they say." Seras smiled towards the woman.

"What do you mean by unworthy?"

"Hm? What do you know of him? Of his ways? Of the ways of this court, this world?"

"Well, I know enough. I can learn, I'm ready to learn."

"No, you don't know enough. You're a child. A little girl who just happened to make the right man fall for you. I've never heard him say those words. _I love you_." She chuckled. "Not even to that poor Mina he was so enamored with. You've really got him under your spell, don't you? What's your trick?"

"I… I'm sorry? What?" She furrowed her brow.

"You're so young and uneducated. You're a peasant who fucked her way to the top. But then again, I suppose you're not the first Brit to do it." Sulpicia looked Seras over with a smile. "But then again, you do have the body to keep a king happy." She leaned in close to Seras. "Tell me. What's he like in bed? Can you handle fucking a monster like that? I hardly could." Seras' eyes widened and she gasped. She raised her hand to slap the woman but she quickly grabbed the offending wrist. Sulpicia used it to pull her closer. "But I did, oh trust me, I did. He might not have loved _me,_ but he loved _fucking_ me." She laughed and smiled once more at the enraged Seras.

Suddenly, Seras realized the situation she was in. "Let go of me, or I will kill you," she whispered. Sulpicia did so, smile never leaving. She turned her head as footsteps came towards them. Seras pulled her arm from the air as she saw Vlad walking towards them. Vlad caught Sulpicia's eyes with nothing more than a disregarding glance. Seras smiled.

"It's time to go to the conference, Seras." She nodded.

"Oh, is it? Let's go then." Vlad breathed in as he looked to Sulpicia. "What? I've always been on the Council, for the past 200 years, at least."

"I know that, thank you," his words were bitter and bored sounding. "Seras, come on." She walked forward and he draped his arm around her. They walked through the thinning crowd and into the dining room – which would serve as the meeting place for the conference. "I hadn't noticed her yet tonight. She didn't give you any trouble, did she?"

"Well, she's certainly a chipper kind of cunt, isn't she?" Vlad grinned at her.

"Sulpicia believes that if she says something sweetly enough, whoever she's insulting won't notice it and won't confront her."

"Does that work?"

"Well, she's still here, isn't she?"

"I wish she wasn't," she whispered. "And I hope she hears me."

"What did she say to you to make you so cruel, darling?" Vlad laughed.

"Nothing important."

* * *

As they walked through the doors into the dining room, she was faced with people, mostly those of whom she had met. There were three seats left, and she knew who the third seat was for, though she wished she didn't. There was an empty seat at the head of the table, and two seats on either side of the head of the table. She sighed. She took the seat on Vlad's left. Sulpicia, once she walked in, took the one on his right.

"I have to say, it's odd having you back after so long, Vlad," said a man in a plum dress shirt.

"Odd having me back, or knowing you'll have somebody to answer to when you fuck something up?" The man in the purple shirt laughed.

"Can I say both? And you've returned to the public with a woman! It's all sudden and unexpected."

"Well, it shouldn't have been. I would never give up keeping all of you in line."

"It would appear that we need it, after all that's happened," said a woman in white.

"Why don't we talk about that a bit later. I want to make sure Seras is comfortable enough with everybody."

"Of course," the woman replied.

"So, Seras," a familiar voice chimed in. She followed it and found it lead to Sebastian. "How was it like, working with that awful organization? If I'm correct, you had a bit of a choice."

She cleared her throat. "Somewhat, yes, down the line of being there. During the early years, I didn't. I earned privileges, like being able to leave, with time. It wasn't bad. It was… It was my first real home, so of course I have next to nothing bad to say about it. It gave me opportunities and helped me to build my skills as a fighter. It made me strong. I became attached to the very foundations of that place; the people in it and everything. But the thing about becoming attached is that it just hurts so much more when everything falls to shit." She sighed. "Overall, I liked it, I guess." She smiled.

"But didn't you have to kill other vampires? That sounds horrible," Sulpicia added.

"No, I _silenced degenerates._ Filth. They were pathetic and undeserving of what they'd been given. They were shit and deserved to turn to ash." Sulpicia's eyebrows rose and she looked to Vlad.

"She sounds just like you!" the woman laughed.

"I suppose she does," he smiled towards Seras.

"What was he like as a master? I can't expect it would have been very pleasant," the man in the plum shirt asked.

"Sometimes he was hard on me, but most of the time, he was playful and about as nice as he could have been to me, under the circumstances. He only scared me once or twice though. It wasn't too bad, considering he was only present as my master for a year or so. The rest of the time he was gone, I figured things out for myself. I'm a bit slow, though, still learning things."

"She doesn't give herself enough credit," Vlad interrupted. "She learned so much on her own. She exceeded my expectations, many times." Seras felt a blush creep up her pale cheek. She turned and smiled at him.

"It must have been hard, being thrust right into the Millennium Blitz after being turned," a younger brunette girl, clearly the fledgling of another just in the room to be with her master, asked.

"Honestly, it wasn't any more intense than anything else I'd been through that far. I… I did so many things I should have done differently. I… Yeah, I guess it was pretty hard," she laughed, eyes tearing up for a moment. "A lot of men were lost that day, because I didn't, because I _was afraid_ to do what I needed to do. A lot of innocent people died. People that had nothing to do with anything. By the time I had gotten stronger, not much could have been done. But I did what I could. Everybody did. I lost my arm there, and my blue eyes. Even my country for a while. But I gained strength. Everybody that survived did."

"Wow. You're so cool," she said with an amazed smile. The man sitting next to her smacked her on the back of the head. "Ow! What, it was a _compliment"_ Another smack was given. Seras smiled. "Have you got a familiar? I've heard all the older vampires do."

"I do."

"What is it? Is it cool?" Seras laughed.

"A French mercenary." The girl looked puzzled and slightly let down. "He was my first kiss, and the first human I drank from. His blood saved me during the Blitz. Without him and his help, I would have died."

"But I thought that if a vampire drank a person's blood they'd turn into either a ghoul or another vampire."

"Well, he certainly wasn't a virgin, so he couldn't be a vampire. But, he gave his blood willingly. And when a human gives their blood willingly, a sacred bond is created. For some reason, he's always stayed with me. He became my familiar."

"Oh. Is he cute?" Another smack.

"Bea, that's enough. You're being such a child." Bea glared at her master. The two bickered in quiet whispers.

Seras laughed lightly before looking to Vlad. He was looking at her thighs, underneath the table. She crossed her legs and he looked into her eyes. "Where did you go?"

"I was thinking about what we would do in the morning." She grinned.

"Oh, is that so? Because I planned on sleeping."

"Hm. You might have to reschedule." Seras nodded.

"Vlad," Sulpicia crooned. He turned to her. "What's it like, being in love?"

He was silent.

"I would imagine it's hard. For you, at least."

"Why do you say that?" he asked, monotone.

"Well, you're always so cold and distant. I'd thought you didn't know what love was, with how easily you killed people's mates and those people claimed to love. How you did such cruel things. I just wondered what it might be like for somebody so… well, cruel! I mean, you've shown up, all but a new man. I should think it's natural to wonder."

"What exactly are you wondering? How love feels to me, or why I've never loved before?" His voice was warning, dripping acid.

"Both, I guess."

"I suppose those are things you'll never find out." Drinks were set on the table for the guests and Vlad immediately drink from his. Sulpicia's smile faltered for a moment before disappearing completely. She spoke once more.

"Are you to be married, or are you just to remain mates?" Seras looked to Vlad.

He chuckled. "I proposed to her. I _am_ her husband and she _is_ my wife." Seras smiled.

"And what kind of wife is she?" Seras tried to bite her tongue but she couldn't resist.

"Sulpicia, you must want so badly to be me with how much you ask of me. Yet, I've not asked anything about you. In fact, I know nothing of you other than the fact that you seem to be a jealous woman who has no discernible personality other than pettiness. And I've known you for what? 15, 20 minutes? Bloody hell, I think I know everything I need to know about you already." Sulpicia's ever-present smile vanished and she pursed her lips. She opened her mouth, but before she could speak –

"I hope you aren't going to say something you'll regret, Sulpicia," Vlad said. Her mouth snapped shut. Seras smiled in her direction. She looked around the room and found that the people around the table seemed to be impressed, especially Bea. Her smile widened. "Why don't we speak of more important things now."

"Well, sir, perhaps we should speak about the incidents involving the onslaught of vampire covens along the eastside and the danger they pose to us as a society?"

 _ **Ferne's Thoughts Part II:**_ _Well, how about it? Was it shit or good? I know some parts are bad, but I hope you can look past any plot holes since it's been so long without a chapter. Alright here's some links. Alucard's Vest:_

 _Seras' Dress inspo:_ url?sa=i &rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwiKlqn52crQAhWpjlQKHeiXDDAQjRwIBw&url=https%3A%2F% .com%2Fexplore%2Fcorset-prom-dresses%2F&psig=AFQjCNG8f3YH9hSsOO58Xu1fXtJp9Whfhg&ust=1480396783311379

 _And now some info. Sulpicia might sound familiar. Caius might as well. I've committed the ultimate sin. Those names are from… TWILIGHT! I'm sorry I just love the names for the Volturi. They have beautiful names. And also, if you follow any of my other stories, Sebastian WILL be in every fucking story I write as a close friend to Vladucard. Just one of those OC things, you know? I need him in my stories, in small doses. I actually forgot how therapeutic writing was for me, but now that I've done it, I feel great._

 _Also, thank you to every single person that has read, enjoyed, followed, favorited, and commented on my stories. We're almost a year old, guys! And I have you to thank, all of you. Every comment I read makes me smile, every follow, every favorite. I'm so glad I'm adding something to yall's lives. I'm so glad you appreciate what I do. Thank you for holding on. Thanks for helping me hold on. Also, I'm sorry for any grammar errors in this chapter. I'm way too wiped out to edit (sorry guys). Ferne's back and expect weekly updates!_

 _Also, this chapter was mostly from Seras' POV, but we'll get into some Vladucard POV real soon, in a chapter or so. I know I switch from saying mat and husband/wife a lot, but pls forgive, haha._


	30. Breaking Point

_**Well well well... long time no see! This is a long awaited chapter and im so sorry. I had a lot of things happen. Life and its tragedies always do seem to interfere, don't they? Well, this is not the end. This isn't close to the end. I'll update my other stories soon as well. Thank you for sticking around! Sorry if this one is so disjointed, it's hard to pick back up after a year, haha.**_

 _ **That's the end of this episodes Ferne's Thoughts! Come back next chapter for more! MWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!**_

* * *

Wind slammed against the sturdy old windows in sudden smacks. The rain from the skies fell in a nearly apocalyptic way. The fat droplets hissed against the glass they threw themselves against. The skies overhead were stormy, and had been all night, though nobody had really seemed to notice. It almost seemed to fit the night – all the atrocities as well as the festivities seeming to have been called on by the weather. The smell of death and blood made its way faintly up through the upper floors, mixing with the smell of rain and clean furniture. Every room was dark, candles unlit; the only light into each was the light from the outside world.

Laughs and crude jokes could be heard through the heavy door of a certain servant, one that had a reputation for being disliked by the master of the chateau. This servant was often threatened when confronted by the master, but rarely punished, though other servants speculated there was a reason for that. As the young American vampiress joked with the strange one-eyed Frenchman behind the privacy of her door, other servants padded back and forth between halls, careful not to make much noise. Without her, the unannounced head servant, they were almost lost in their duties.

They had been prepared, the others. Of course they had. But very few had much experience in serving vampires. The human servants found that serving an easily tempered Vampire King hard enough, let alone the stress that came from serving his wife. But, to them, serving over one hundred of them seemed to be a nearly impossible war to fight. The vampire servants had it easier; the vampire nobles treated them with decency and respect, almost as if those servants were their own children. The human servants, however, were treated as filth. If one of the nobles were unaware of their presence and bumped into one, a sharp slap and harsh growls weren't unheard of, especially so on that night.

As badly as some servants were dependent upon Catrina, they refused to bother her on that night. Once she retired to her bedroom, they all chalked it up to her being absolutely drained of energy, tired beyond belief due to her hard work. And that assumption was just fine with Catrina. The stress that came with being a servant to royal vampires was immense, and they knew it.

So, Pip stole Catrina away with the intent to help her relieve that stress. He'd found old wine bottles tucked away in the cellar and grabbed them up beforehand. Her room was lit with the dim pale light of the cloud covered moon, her curtains pulled back to allow as much in as possible. As Pip sat on her lumpy grey bed, Catrina downed her second bottle of the old, and possibly extremely expensive, bottle of foreign wine. As she finished the last drop, she slammed the bottle down on the hard wood floor, effectively shattering it. Pip flinched.

"Honestly, this place is unbearable!" she cried, words slurring as she slammed her own body to the floor in a heap. "I hate _him_ so much! And his stupid blonde pet." Pip narrowed his eye at the hateful words towards his host. She looked up after a moment, eyes wide as saucers and begging like a puppy dog. "Oh, I'm sorry. I forgot."

"It's fine," he whispered back. It wasn't, not by a long shot, but he'd learned long ago to not get worked up over petty words, no matter how cruel they were or who they were directed to. He focused on actions, not words.

"Well, I do. I hate them both," she sunk her head back into her arms. Her words were quickly becoming more and more unintelligible and Pip moved to sit by her, pulling her body to allow him to sit comfortably against the bedframe with her head in his lap. She settled in comfortably as well. "I hate Vlad because he's arrogant and fucking bipolar," Pip laughed at her words, "and I hate Seras because she _loves_ that fucking monster."

"Love is love, Catrina." She huffed.

"No. It's not right. He doesn't deserve her."

"I thought you hated her," the French familiar smirked.

"I do… but not all of her. I hate the things she does, what she's done, I guess. But not _her._ Or her body." Pip's eyebrow arched.

"Pardonnez moi?" She ignored him, and continued giving her slurry speech.

"She's just _so_ stupid sometimes. She's blind. He's done the one thing she's said she'd never forgive somebody for, time and time again. And he's lied to her! Over and over! Somebody needs to save her."

 _Mon dieu… Have I found what I've been searching for? Ask her! No, idiot! Let her keep speaking! Let her, let her!_

"That haughty bastard must have planned it from the start, _my_ Elizabeth dying. From that first time I met him, I saw treachery in his eyes. Such a king! Betraying his own master, his own Childe and lover! Nobody should trust him, let alone poor Seras." She paused for a moment to put the bottle down by her side.

"The evidence is everywhere! How does she not see? He comes back from the dead, _again_ , to an already nearly dead master. This master continues to hold bonds and rules over his head. He just wants to fuck the pretty blonde he bit, and be free, and dictate again, oh _no._ Is it a crime? No, not to him. It must have been just… normal? No, um, regular? Fuck, it must have been fucking obvious!" she clapped her hands together. "He hasn't said any words of mourning, I bet. Not a single good word about the Hellsing bitch. Whenever somebody brings something up, he gets quiet and detached. But, like the doting princess set on falling in love with the prince, she's too blind to notice."

More silence from Pip as he could feel the phantom beating of a heart that no longer beat inside his chest.

"Or maybe, just maybe, he wants her to find out." Her pace began to speed up, her chest rising quickly with each steadily rising word. "Maybe he's doing it to seem obvious. Doesn't he usually like people to know he did some dastardly deed? Some part of him, deep down, wants her to know."

"I'm not so sure of that. There's a plethora of things I'll bet Alucard… Vlad doesn't want Seras to know, and things she never will know." Pip was unsure, despite his cool demeanor.

"Do you think this is one of those things?"

"Only an idiot would think otherwise." She snorted a laugh. He decided to press his luck. "So, you say he knew? That he… planned it? Part of it?" She nodded and took another swig from the bottle sitting next to her.

"Oh yeah," she said, in the most innocent voice he'd heard her conjure up. He waited a few seconds for her to continue, yet all she did was take a drink from a tinted-glass bottle. It thumped heavily on the wooden floor. He cleared his throat impatiently, receiving no attention. He nodded and smiled in-spite of himself. How absolutely silly it was for him to believe she would say something he wanted her to.

They both sat in silence for several minutes, an awkward tension filling the room that Catrina just couldn't place. She sat facing the window, listening to the muffled voices of the vampires many floors below her. She heard laughter, glasses clinking, lust-filled, heavy words spoken between two people. She heard angsty sighs and the high chirps of two old friends reminiscing after many long years of separation. Yet, in her drunken haze, she could not place the two voices she wanted to hear the most – the King and Queen.

The moon shone in blue rays, the rain on the thick glass window opalescent. Her companion appeared to glow, his body illuminated by the pale light. He laid with his eyes – _eye –_ closed. His breathing was even and heavy, and she concluded that she must have been eavesdropping on the festivities for much longer than a few minutes. But the rain was so beautiful, its light pattering and fat drops sending her into a near meditative state. She concentrated on the howling wind whipping lightly against the outer foundation of the chateau, the flittering of the leaves. She watched the shadows of trees shake and dance beneath the glittering silver spots in the blackened sky. She wished, briefly, that she could dance like the trees.

She stood and walked over to the large glass. Placing a hand on it, she sighed. She wanted for so much, yet was stuck acting as if she hadn't a care in the world. It was in this moment, listening to the snoring of Pip and the festivities down below, that she decided upon something. With her hand on the glass, she leaned towards the outer scene and breathed hot against the window. With her hand, she traced the outline of the moon. She closed her eyes for only a moment before turning back towards her unconscious guest. Wobbling over to him, she called his name and he awoke. She sent him out of her room, unaware of the fruitlessness of his mission, and crawled into her coffin. She wriggled around, both dreading and feeling hopeful about the next night.

* * *

Seras stared out towards the silver moon. The window was beginning to frost over, the rain slowly turning to snow. The fall had turned to winter in the span of a second. White flakes began to cover the rolling hills of the countryside, turning to a sea of ivory. The guests had all left nearly an hour prior, and the moon was beginning to set. It was four in the morning and Seras thought that the night had gone smoothly. She had no need to act like such a child, overblowing the situation she was going to face. It really wasn't bad. She still smelt the heady aroma of blood in the air, blood and aged liquor. It was as close to a regal smell as she could imagine.

Vlad was speaking to one of the men he had introduced her too, one of the men she had concluded to be of importance. She'd forgotten his name, however, and wasn't about to make an ass of herself asking after they'd been conversing nearly all night. She stood on the other side of the room, lost in thoughts and the dizzying flurry of snowfall. She felt the steady vibration of Pip's slumber inside her body. It was a calming feeling, like being wrapped in a warm blanket.

For a brief moment, she remembered chilly winter memories from her childhood. She smiled at the thought of catching flakes on her tongue and playing with the other children in the orphanage. The thoughts soon turned sour with melancholy as she remembered just how cruel those children were to her, the children and the caretakers. She sighed the thoughts away and saw the reflection of her mate turn towards her and stare for a moment. She placed her hand against the frame of the window and felt the satin paint beneath her sensitive fingertips, felt the chill of it. Winter had definitely fell.

The howling wind of a light storm had passed about an hour earlier, giving way to the sideways breeze of the first snowfall. The trees no longer danced, but shivered. She felt as though she could watch the snow fall and pile up for hours, but she was interrupted from the thought as a hand fell upon her waist. She almost jumped before she looked to find Vlad towards the serene scene as well. He seemed as though he too was lost in thought. She spoke lightly, afraid a loud voice might shatter the serenity. "Are you done talking to your friend?" She leaned her head against his thick body.

"I don't have _friends_ , Seras," he droned without moving his eyes from the window. "But, yes. He's to leave tomorrow night." He pondered something for a moment before continuing. "Assuming he can even open the front door."

"What do you mean?"

"Usually, when it snows here, it snows heavily. We'll be lucky to get less than ten inches." He sighed and looked to her. "I hope you enjoy winter." She smiled.

"I do."

"I once heard that winter brings sorrow. What do you think?"

"I think that I could never feel sorrow as long as I'm with you." He laughed.

"Wishful thinking."

As the two looked out towards the silver-specked snow, Seras shivered. She shivered – but she wasn't cold.

* * *

While Vlad was usually happy to be right, borderline ecstatic, even, he wasn't too happy to see the thick layers of snow rolling along the countryside. He sighed and held his face in his hands for a moment as he sat next to a window by his bed. He shook his head and looked back towards his sleeping mate. She gave a light groan as she shifted atop the sheets. She lay angelically in the large bed, her hair acting as a halo against the dark silk sheets. Thick blankets barely covered her vanilla skin and he had half a mind to take them away completely, just to gaze upon her flesh. They'd spent the rest of the night making love, as per usual, but last night he felt it necessary to be as passionate as possible. Something in him called out and told him to treat her as if it would be the last night he would be able to call her his own.

He hated winter. He hated snow. He hated that dreadful white powder. It had this power against him, this power to… the power to ruin. Winter had the power to ruin everything he wanted, everything he had created. His empire, his life, his unlife. Now, he had only a rational fear of his current situation being ruined. He had confided in Seras before she'd fallen asleep, and while she comforted him and told him not to worry, it placated nothing inside him.

He was certain she would find out the truth soon. She began to stir more before sitting up in the bed. The blankets fell around her and she stretched her body. She turned to him with a cheery smile. In that moment, he realized that he cherished her that smile far too much. He watched as she stood and walked towards him. She sat upon his lap and looked out the frosted window. She gave a small sound of alarm and turned to him.

"It looks like you were right!" He leaned in to her neck and planted kisses against the warm flesh. He nipped her ear before whispering into it.

"Am I ever wrong?"

"You've been wrong about plenty." His Cheshire grin found its rightful place at those words, lips curling around sharp teeth, and those teeth rubbing against Seras' lukewarm flesh.

"Like what exactly?" He closed his eyes and gave in to her embrace totally. His body molded to hers and she pulled herself closer to him, arm around his neck. She hummed as she felt their bodies vibrate as one. Suddenly, a thought came to his mind, a thought he forgot to suppress for just an instant. And he spoke.

"For you to hate me, what would I have to do?" Seras' brow furrowed and she pulled away to look into his face. His eyes opened slightly as he slowly realized his actions. "What I mean is," he hesitated for a near second, "is there anything I might do that would change how you feel for me?" Seras was unnoticing of his hesitation. She sighed and placed a pale hand on his cheek.

"How is it that you can be both so arrogant and yet so unsure of yourself at the same time?" He didn't meet her gaze but his crimson eyes showed nothing regarding any emotion she didn't know about. She was joking, but he didn't seem to recognize it, or he didn't acknowledge it at least. Feeling a bit dejected, she kissed his cheek. "Is something bothering you?"

She'd been trying to act as though she didn't notice it when he drifted off into his thoughts, as though she didn't see it when his face turned blank. She'd been trying for weeks, and it wasn't difficult. It happened rarely, when they were laying together in the early morning hours, or when he thought himself to be alone she would catch peaks of him as she came around corners or into rooms he occupied.

Seras never said anything in these moments, but not for lack of noticing, though that's what she thought that _he_ must have thought in those moments. She didn't think about it extensively. Even after the nearly vast personality shift she'd seen in him since Integra's passing and the development of their relationship, she still thought it better not to prod into his inner thoughts. In fact, she reasoned, if he didn't tell her something it was simply because he didn't think she needed to know. He didn't want to tell her something, and she was ok with it. Overall, she didn't want to be a bother. She hadn't made him angry since before she told him she loved him, and she didn't want to risk it when they were living such a picture-perfect life.

She bit her bottom lip lightly. He didn't answer her, his eyes still staring blankly at her chest. "Vlad, I know something's been bothering you. You can tell me." As she waited for his answer, she peered out the frosty window. Miniature snowflakes drifted past and down towards the snow piles down below. She lifted a hand and began to play with her creator's hair, tousling it and running her fingers through the long strands. He leaned his head into her caresses.

"Perhaps another time," was all he said in response. Seras sighed.

"Why not now?"

"Because I said so, Seras."

"But _I_ want to talk now."

"And I _don't,"_ he growled. Seras leaned back, unsettled by his sudden aggression. He looked up into her eyes and she recognized that familiar look of anger. Usually, this was a sign that if she continued, she would get punished. Or at least, that's what she was used to. She had the pathetic instinct to whine or submit somehow, but she pushed it back. "I'll make sure to make a note that you wish to speak about feelings Seras, but at the moment, I would rather not." The anger remained in his words.

"Well I do," she managed to pull out of her growing cowardice. She didn't want to be afraid of her husband, but he _was_ an intimidating man. Especially when he rose his voice to her. At her words, his head cocked slightly and his eyes narrowed. The arms that were once wrapped gently around her waist were as tight as a vice around her. He pulled her against his chest roughly.

"I don't care what you want, Seras. You know better than to test me. Would you like to continue doing so? Ask again," he snarled. His words dripped with warning, and Seras felt a familiar tugging at her heart, a tugging that pulled it down into the pit of her stomach. She looked away. She looked back at the snowflakes. She almost expected him to laugh at her cowardice the way he had so many times before, but only stale silence followed his outburst. Slowly, as if he didn't want to appear to have lost or regret his actions, his grip loosened back to the way it was before – tender and sweet.

Moments passed by as Seras continued to watch the snowflakes. She snapped at herself internally for getting frightened by her own husband, the man she held such a strong bond with. Her self-judgement turned to anger as well as she began yelling loud enough in her head she was sure he would hear.

 _Christ, I don't care. I don't care if I make him angry. I'm not some sad puppy dog, damn it! I'm a vampire, a_ _ **real**_ _vampire. If he gets angry at me, he can either talk it out like a stable person or we can fight it out like a couple of mad dogs. Either way is fine with me,_ she thought. She turned back to him to see that he'd returned to staring at her chest absently and decided against taking the issue further when he spoke.

"I… I apologize, Seras. I shouldn't speak to you that way. When it is time, I'll speak with you, how is that?" His voice sounded hollow, yet saddened in a way. The voice was as absent as his gaze.

"It's fine," she said quietly. She had half a mind to just _read_ his mind and figure out what it was, but she decided against it. "Forget it." She smiled down at him and he raised his head. He smiled gently and she lowered herself for an embrace. The window to their right cracked lightly as the bitter cold slammed itself against it, so different from the warmth inside its barrier.

* * *

Pip woke up, his own bed chilled by the winter breeze. He looked around for the source, only to find that he'd left a large window open on the other side of the small room. He cursed to himself and padded across the wood floor to the window. With a sigh, he slammed it shut. He looked out into the dark world beyond the window. He could make out lumps of white in the haze, and looked down to his feet to find a small pile of snow at the floor. He groaned and lit up a cigarette. Though he was essentially a ghost, he still held on to his more human instincts. Besides, in his more tangible form, the cold really _did_ bother him.

After walking back to his bed, he sat on the edge. He knew he could have pushed Catrina to give him solid answers. He knew it. He cursed once more. In the darkness of his room, he began to think. What if, he thought, Seras was better off not knowing? What if ignorance is better for her than the truth? It was true that Seras was living nicely, was living happily from what he'd seen, but he was suddenly very unsure about telling her the truth that he knew. He couldn't possibly go to her without all of the details anyway.

But, perhaps he could go to Alucard himself. Maybe the man truly did have a heart enough to tell Seras the truth, if pushed. But, still, the part of him that was suddenly unsure of his actions prevailed. If he went to Alucard, there would forever be a drift between the two men. In all honesty, Pip was surprised Vincent hadn't said anything regarding the suspicions Pip _knew_ the man had. Actually, it would be so much easier on Pip if Vincent was the one to ask. But was he really that much of a coward to need another person to confront the man he'd worked alongside for so long? The man he heard so much about for so many years? The man the love of his life had fawned over for so long?

No. He'd confront him himself. It was settled. Pip blew out the last puff of smoke from his cigarette and listened around the rooms near him for any movement. Hearing nothing, he phased through the walls and into the glamorously carpeted hallway. Candles along the walls were lit, adding a golden glow around the length of what he could see. He walked along, boots muted by the plush ground.

* * *

Catrina woke up reluctantly to the sound of wind slamming against her window again. She groaned loudly as she pushed the lid of the coffin off. Her arms were weak and she regretted her decision to sleep in the coffin that day. She eventually got the lid off and sat up in the darkness of her room. There was a solid silence falling over the entire place, as far as she could hear. The only offending sound was the howling of the wind.

The small pounding of a hangover remained, sliding over her head, over her thoughts. She numbly remembered her plans for the night, the plans she'd come to terms with the night before. A sense of reluctance filled her body, swimming through her head and down towards her limbs. She didn't move for several minutes. Though unsure of herself, she was willing to take a risk to do what she needed to.

After getting dressed, she stood at her door, hand on the cold metal knob for several seconds. With a sigh, she pushed her way through the barrier and walked along the carpeted halls.

* * *

Vincent sat in his room, light from many candles brightening the small space. In the storm, any power the chateau had wired in it had gone out during the heavy storm that took place during the day. It didn't bother Vincent much though; nothing really did these days. His thumb skimmed the edge of the weathered book in his hands. Each word read passed by with numbing slowness only matched by the numbing silence of the snow.

At once, as if in response to his appreciation of the quiet, wind rapped against the walls and left the windows clattering. He sighed deeply and rubbed his eyes, pushing his glasses aside. He sat his book down on a side table next to him. In the light, the sanctuary of his room, he had time to reflect on his thoughts. That was practically what he'd done for the entirety of his stay. He'd been alienated from Seras, was unable to voice his concern for her. He'd done as Integra had asked him, but he'd done a half assed job. He knew that he should tell her his thoughts, should tell her about his suspicions but didn't want to meet some sort of resistance or sudden hatred at accusations of her lover. He needed to stay with her to fulfill not only Integra's wishes, but his own sense of parental care for her. He needed to make sure she was safe and in a good place. Right now, yes, she was safe, and good is an opinion, but she was living in safety and goodness under false pretenses. He didn't know anything he hadn't thought the moment Integra had died, and as such, he had next to no basis to accuse Alucard of murder. Even though he was convinced that was what happened.

The rolling of these thoughts in his head was repetitive and constant. It ate him up inside, as if the thoughts themselves were some sort of virus slowly consuming him. The rapping of the wind seemed to him to be a reflection of the turmoil inside, and he hated it. In the silence, he could pretend that was how he felt – calm and collected. But with every slam, he was reminded that inside he felt so much more. The self- analysis he placed on a pedestal his entire life began to be a burden to himself.

In order to avoid contact with people as much as possible as his contentedness began to crumble during his stay in Romania, he shifted his sleeping patterns. It was difficult, as he'd been trained for so long to sleep during the day and wake at night, but he did it. And now, as the moon began to peak over the heavy clouds and the stars twinkled, he began to feel tired. All of the thoughts running through his head, he was convinced, drained his energy much more than actually exerting his physical body. He kicked off his shoes, and, too lazy to undress himself, he slid into bed still in a suit.

* * *

Seras sat in a library she'd recently been made aware of, legs crossed as she sat on a book littered table. Vlad had left her to her own devices as he went to another room to _do whatever it is the King of Vampires does,_ Seras figured. She wasn't bothered by it, however. And even though there were few books in the library that were in English, she still enjoyed thumbing through the pages of them. The subtle musty scent of old paper filled the room and she enjoyed what came up from them. It was the scent of nostalgia, a happy scent. Candles lit up the room, golden halos over the large flames.

She hummed to herself, left thumb between her parted lips, right thumb turning pages as she sat atop the rickety table. She sat behind one of the tall, messy bookcases, shielded from anybody who may walk through the door. As she turned the last page, she heard the opening and closing of the heavy door beyond the bookcase and turned. Moving a book behind her head, she saw the outline of a woman standing in front of the closed door. The outline seemed unsure, nervous. Seras called out to it. "Hello?" She immediately recognized the form as it spoke back.

"Hey, it's me." Seras watched as Catrina walked out in front of her. They both gave small smiles.

"Did you come here to read too? Good luck finding anything that's in a useful language." Seras returned her attention to the book in her hands.

"Actually, I came to… do you do this often?" Seras looked up into the tall American's face to find that she held actual interest. The small blonde smiled, closing the book and laying across her lap.

"Sometimes. When Vlad's off doing whatever, I come here. I always enjoyed reading the books in Integra's library… while there aren't as many books I _can_ read here, it's still interesting to look through them. And Vlad's been teaching me Romanian – not a lot, but some – so I can understand a few things here and there."

"Oh." Catrina moved to find a chair. She pulled a wobbly chair next to Seras and sat. "Isn't it a bit lonely?" Seras hummed for a moment before turning to her.

"Compared to 30 years without the man I love? Not at all. Besides, it's nice to think that his fingers have been over these books as well." A shadow came over Catrina's face and Seras cocked her head.

"Seras. I'm so sorry." Seras smiled. Catrina had second thoughts about her reason for coming to the library.

"There's no need to apologize, Catrina. You were grieving." Catrina cocked her own head this time.

"What?"

"I never held any grudge to you, no matter how you acted towards me. We all grieve differently, and I understand that. I grieved in a similar way when Vlad… left. Thank you, though. I forgive you."

"Seras, no, that's not-" Catrina's hands folded nervously in her lap and she shook her head quickly. "It's not about that."

"Then what is it?" Seras placed the book on the table and turned her body completely to Catrina.

"Seras, he's been lying to you. He's been deceiving you," the words exploded from her mouth, loud and sudden. Seras leaned back, confused. Her confusion quickly turned to anger.

"How dare you?" Seras hissed, feeling all too protective of her mate. She was used to Pip intruding occasionally on the boundaries of her relationship, but suddenly Seras seemed to understand the young girl's intent and the possible reason behind her strange actions as of late. _Is she trying to break us up? How could she even dare to talk badly about him, to me of all people!?_ She took a shuddered breath and sniffed in the air she needed to speak before whispering her next sentence.

As angry as she was at the inferred attack, she remembered to not lose control, containing her shadows that were begging to punish the foolish girl for her transgressions. She nearly shuddered at the thought – she barely recognized it as her own. "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that you need to ask your husband the truth about Integra. Ask him about his role, ask him why he didn't help fight. Have you even wondered? Ask him why I'm still here, for Christ's sake!" With the last yell, Catrina ran from the library, leaving Seras in stunned silence.

She heard nothing but the sound of her own breathing filling the room. She was unsure of why she was even so upset. _Perhaps I'll humor her…_ She set one foot on the ground and began to walk, in angry confusion, towards her husband's study.

* * *

Vlad sat at a large desk, not unlike his former master's own, reading various letters he'd neglected for several days. He heard footsteps coming towards his door, and he waited expectantly for Seras to come bursting through the door to bother him about something or other. In fact, he was all but praying for her to come bursting through the door and rescue him from his momentary responsibility. Sometimes – regretfully – he missed the days of servitude. Returning to his old role as the master of so many was exhausting and he was aching for the days that he just had to sit in his room, drink his meals alone, and enjoy quiet solitude.

But he also enjoyed his new life. Well, it wasn't exactly new to him at all. He'd been king before, had hundreds of people bow down to him, held the lives of his subjects at his disposal, and he'd had wives before. The only difference was himself. He had grown in his own servitude. He was the same, but evolved. The plainest difference in himself he'd noticed was his feelings towards Seras, and his actions due to them. He'd never felt what he did for Seras, not for any woman he'd bed, or married for that matter. No woman he'd received as a gift, no woman he'd received as payment, no woman he'd ever met had gained his ultimate favor over all. He did love her, in his own way. Perhaps it wasn't the storybook romance or love that human women crave since girlhood, but it was his version of it, and that was just going to have to be enough for her.

And so far, it was. She seemed content, even through his violent outbursts. Rarely were they directed towards her, though there were a few times he'd wanted to rip her head off during some petty argument, but he had the tendency to be incredibly cruel towards a servant who'd made a slight mistake. In fact, several nights earlier, a servant of about fourteen had bumped into him as he walked through the halls, Seras at his side. She happened to be carrying a bucket of water, likely to clean something or other up. Immediately, fear entered the young girls eyes as they went wide and she began to scream apologies, falling to her knees with a heavy thump. Vlad's face was blank for several moments as he tried to contain the anger bubbling inside of his chest.

He was unable to, however, and grabbed the girl up by her throat, swiftly cutting off her air supply as he brought her face within inches of his own. He growled words Seras couldn't understand to the girl, he voice low but full of fury. Seras attempted to get him to put the girl down, speaking about "it's just water," something or other. Vlad didn't really take notice. He released his grip just barely enough for her to scream. The scream was cut off quickly, though, by the sound of gurgling as the vampire King's massive jaws clamped on the girl's throat, his hand now simply holding the back of her head. He threw her to the ground in disgusted anger before stomping her head to a messy pulp. He looked around to find another girl, likely the now dead one's friend, and pointed to her, blood on his hands. He ordered the crying girl to clean up the mess he'd made, before turning to a slightly shocked Seras.

She wasn't shocked for long, however, as her wide eyes narrowed in poorly hidden lust. She stood on her toes in order to reach his mouth, and she licked at the blood on his face. The feeling of her warm tongue sliding over his lip nearly sent him over a different edge, and he grinned. The continued on their way, leaving a weeping maid in the wide hall.

At the thought of this memory, his thoughts went in a different direction – Seras' changing personality. Well, perhaps she wasn't changing outright, but she was growing as a vampire. She took much more pleasure in the kill, even in watching him feed, just as he took pleasure in her feeding. _She's simply allowing herself to feel the things she's always felt as a vampire. She can finally totally embrace vampirism. Perhaps she's taking it slowly on purpose? Or is she still fighting it?_ The final question had him shaking his head in disgust. _No. She has accepted what she is. Dare I say she even likes it now?_ He smirked.

His eyes travelled from the pen he was clicking over and over again as he was swimming in his thoughts towards the door as the handle turned slowly.

* * *

Unable to stay asleep, Vincent decided to take a walk with his thoughts. Those thoughts brought him here, to Vlad's study. He pushed open the door tentatively, unsure if somebody was in there. There was, as he was greeted with a deep voice before the door was even open fully.

"It is common curtesy to knock, no matter where you happen to be, you know." It was the King's sardonic voice slipping through the space between the two men. Vincent entered fully and closed the door lightly. "Long time no see, Vincent. I would be lying if I said I was expecting to see you anytime soon," the vampire grinned. "So, what is it you want?"

Vincent looked around and dragged a chair from against one of the walls to sit in front of the mahogany desk Vlad sat at. The vampire's eyes followed his every movement slowly, not wavering for a moment. Vincent heard a quiet and methodically clicking and briefly wondered where it was coming from. He chalked it up to a clock he couldn't see. He sat in the chair.

"Well? Are you simply here to enjoy my presence?" Vlad chuckled, curiosity within his eyes as he pretended to be uninterested. Vincent was no fool; he could easily read the vampire after his time with him, as sparse as it was.

"Of course not," was all that Vincent said. Tension grew between the two men. Though neither spoke for several minutes. "I know."

Vlad cocked his head. "You know what, exactly?"

"I know you all but killed Integra yourself." The vampire smirked.

"And how did you come about that bit of information, Vincent?" Vlad spoke the butler's name in two sharp syllables.

"Catrina told me. But," he added slowly, "you'd have to be an idiot not to figure it out."

"Is that right?" The clicking had stopped.

"Oh, that's right." The butler sighed and crossed his legs. "So that leaves Seras. She doesn't know."

"So that must make her an idiot, yes? Well, I knew that." Vlad's face had become stone, his voice slow and steady, as if he was choosing each word deliberately. Vincent smiled inwardly at the little victory.

"I think she's just refusing to see the truth, personally. I mean, you have motive. You were a slave. Of course you would want freedom. And, further, you wanted to be with her. I'm sure she would understand. Maybe she does. Maybe she just chooses to not think about it, or maybe she agrees with you." The vampire simply sat in silence. "Maybe you should bring it up. The truth, that is. Or maybe I will." Fire lit its way through Vlad's features as he stood, a pen falling to the desk.

"You will not! You won't **dare** speak with her about any of this! It is not your place!" Vincent stood as well.

"Not my place? I am not one of your pathetic little subject, _Alucard_!" Vlad growled.

"That is not my name!" He whispered slowly, fury constricting his chest. "Never say that name again!" He parted the distance between them by pushing the large desk towards the man. Vincent deftly dodged the large obstacle, allowing it to slam against the wall. He stood mere inches away from the fuming Nosferatu, not an ounce of fear flowing through his veins.

"I will say whatever it is I wish to say, vampire. You do not control me. I am here simply for Seras. I will not stand by as she is ignorant of the truth. You won't do it? You refuse to do it? I will." Vincent felt himself lifted from the ground as Vlad gripped his collar. They were nearly nose to nose as Vlad growled.

"You are here for Seras? My mate? Then leave it be. She is happy. She is mine. We are free. Do not interfere!"

"Interfere? I'm simply doing my job. The job I was given by _our_ former master."

"I am done with this game." He dropped the man, seemingly composing himself within seconds. "I am done with you. I am done with all of these god damned obstacles in the path of my reign. In the path of my mateship. Just in my fucking path!" Anger returned to his features as he stomped towards the cracked desk blocking the door. He pulled it back into place, forcing Vincent to move out of the way. "Leave. Get out unless you wish to die."

"Why not just kill me? Have you gone soft? Are you afraid?" Vincent took a good look towards the vampire's face to see he was staring towards his hands, anger plastered across his features. After receiving no reply, nor a fight, he took his leave.

He leaned against the door. On the opposite side, he could hear the sound of glass shattering and wood splintering, along with angered grunts and words he couldn't understand. His heart was beating nearly out of his chest. He began to walk away.

The meeting that had occurred was one of impulse. The things spoken were false. Vincent was, essentially, talking out of his ass. He bluffed, over and over, to get a reaction. His eyes were wide as he reflected on it. It was unplanned. He had nothing but a hunch to go on, nothing was proven. Until mere minutes ago.

He had become just as enthralled by his own bluffs as the vampire he had intended to strike with them. It was confirmed now. He smiled to himself as he reached his room. "He's going to break. I won't even have to be the one to tell her!" _Thank god,_ he thought. Truly, he didn't want to tell her. He didn't want to break her heart. Poking the beast to the point of no return seemed to work just fine anyway.

* * *

Seras came closer to the study she'd been slowly strolling to. As she approached, however, all she could hear was destruction, not contemplative thought as per usual for her husband. She quickened her pace and threw open the door. Her eyes widened to find him throwing odds and ends around the room, black shadows flailing around in anger… _or sadness?_ She couldn't immediately distinguish the emotion. It felt as if a bomb of agony had gone off in the room, threatening to infect her the longer she stood.

"Vlad? What's wrong?" she cried as she walked towards him. His back was turned towards her and he stopped his destruction, standing tense. She saw the rise and fall of his shoulders as he panted. His head twitched slightly and he stood in place, silent. She bridged the gap between them and stood infront of him, stepping between the clutter on the ground. She reached towards his face and craned her neck to see it. His eyes refused to meet her own.

"What, what is it? What's the matter?" He refused to speak. She forced his face towards her, his eyes following, begrudgingly. "Talk to me, dammit! I'm not going to stand for anymore of your distant bullshit!" She felt tears threatening to spill from her eyes in her frustration. His hands reached up to hold her shoulders sadly.

"I can no longer hide the truth from you, it would appear." _Oh no,_ Seras thought. Her hands faltered against his cheeks and thoughts she tried to suppress came to the front of her mind. Catrina's warning ran true, regrettably. Still, she pushed it aside and focused on her husband's words, his sullen face, the utter sadness – _regret_ \- in his eyes. He continued. "I have tried, for so long, to keep you ignorant of some of my worst acts. I am a monster, Seras, and you are going to hate me." She shook her head.

"How many times do I need to tell you I won't- " she began, cut off by Vlad's sharp hiss.

"I don't care what you say! Seras, you need to listen to what I'm telling you. I love you as much as I possibly can. I love you more than I love anything, or ever have loved anything, if I even have. I did what I did for selfish reasons, I will not deny. But my selfishness included you. I wanted you, I wanted your freedom, I wanted you to be mine freely! I did what I did for _us_. For myself, and for you." Seras could have sworn her ghost-of-a-heart was running in her chest.

"What… what did you do?" she whispered. Her body knew the answer. His eyes looked into hers, so sadly, yet longingly. As if it was the last time he ever would.

"I am the reason Integra is dead."


End file.
